On Tuesday, South Korea's opposition Democratic Party (DP) announced it will file a complaint against Acting President Choi Sang-mok for alleged failure to perform his duties. Choi has been criticized by opposition lawmakers for not instructing the Presidential Security Service (PSS) to cooperate with the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) in attempts to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. The DP committee accused Choi of remaining silent when the CIO requested assistance with Yoon’s arrest and failing to take action against Park Chong-jun, head of the PSS, who blocked the arrest.
The committee also slammed Choi for not requesting the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Yoon's insurrection charges, despite the Assembly passing a bill mandating a permanent special counsel. Additionally, Choi has delayed the appointments of two judicial candidates, Ma Eun-hyuk for the Constitutional Court and Ma Yong-ju for the Supreme Court.
The DP urged Choi to adopt a stronger position on Yoon’s case, including supporting his arrest. Earlier on January 3, Choi met with US Ambassador Philip Goldberg and General Xavier Brunson, chief of US Forces Korea, to reaffirm the importance of the South Korea-US alliance amid the country's political crisis. Choi emphasized the need for continued cooperation with both the US and Japan to preserve diplomatic progress. Despite the challenges, he stressed the commitment to maintaining strong security and diplomatic policies, according to his ministry.