(LEAD) Assembly speaker calls PM, ruling party’s joint exercise of presidential power ‘unconstitutional’

(ATTN: ADDS details in paras 4-6)

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) — National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said Sunday it would be a “blatant violation of the Constitution” should the prime minister and ruling party jointly exercise presidential power.

Woo’s remarks came just hours after Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and ruling People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon vowed to minimize the chaos through an orderly early departure of the president.

“The transfer of presidential power comes from the people, and such a process should abide by the Constitution and the principle of popular sovereignty,” Woo said in an emergency press conference at the National Assembly, denouncing the joint press briefing as being “arrogant.”

“Impeachment is the sole legal process to suspend the president’s duty, and the Constitution specifies the process in the event the president cannot carry out his role,” Woo said.

He noted how a motion to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over imposing martial law was scrapped Saturday. All but three ruling party lawmakers boycotted the vote, resulting in a lack of quorum.

The Assembly speaker said he has expressed his thoughts on the issue in phone talks with the prime minister and rejected Han’s request for a meeting.

The Assembly speaker also proposed talks between the ruling party and the main opposition to discuss the immediate suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s power and resolve the chaos sparked by Yoon’s short-lived declaration of martial law last week.