Overview

• The Constitutional Court has suspended acting President Han Duck-soo’s nominations of Lee Wan-kyu and Ham Sang-hoon to replace two retiring justices.
• The suspension follows an injunction filed by Attorney Kim Jung-hwan, questioning the constitutionality of Han's authority to make judicial appointments in an acting capacity.
• The court's decision prohibits Han from proceeding with confirmation hearings or issuing appointment orders until a final ruling on the legal challenge is made.
• Political opposition, including the Democratic Party of Korea and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, argues that the appointments should be reserved for an elected president, with elections scheduled for June 3.
• Han’s office has stated it will respect the court's decision and await the final ruling on the constitutional complaint.