Seoul: The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea has taken decisive actions against the government, unilaterally reducing next year's budget and advancing an impeachment drive against key government figures. The party, which holds a majority in the National Assembly, passed the reduced budget through the Special Budget Settlement Committee without bipartisan agreement, marking a first in the history of Korea's constitutional governance. According to Yonhap News Agency, the Democratic Party curtailed the original government budget of 677.4 trillion won ($485 billion) by 4.1 trillion won, eliminating funds for several confidential activities, including those related to national security and intelligence. This move has sparked concerns over potential setbacks in critical investigations conducted by the presidential office, the National Security Office, the prosecution, the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the police. Additionally, the Democratic Party halved the government's reserve fund, reducing it fro m 4.8 trillion won to 2.4 trillion won. This fund is essential for addressing natural disasters and economic crises, raising concerns about the government's ability to respond to emergencies. Furthermore, a significant reduction was made to a drilling operation budget in the East Sea, slashing it from 50.5 billion won to 800 million won. Constitutionally, the National Assembly can reduce the budget without government consent, a rule the Democratic Party utilized to implement these cuts. Despite having the opportunity to increase budgets for its programs, the party refrained from doing so. In parallel with the budget cuts, the Democratic Party is pursuing an impeachment drive, planning to vote on bills to impeach Choe Jae-hae, the chair of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and Lee Chang-soo, the chief law enforcement officer of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, along with two other senior prosecutors. This action could increase the total number of high-ranking officials impeached by the party to 18. The impeachment of the chief prosecutor of Seoul District could impede ongoing cases, including those against Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the party's leader. The Democratic Party's justifications for impeaching Choe are considered formalities, and if successful, it would leave the top BAI post vacant for the first time. The opposition's impeachment efforts appear to be politically motivated, as the board has scrutinized allegations related to former President Moon Jae-in's policies. Despite the low likelihood of the Constitutional Court upholding these impeachments, the party continues its efforts, potentially eyeing the destabilization of the Yoon government. The party is also reportedly considering the impeachment of Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and the dismissal of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Song Mi-ryung.