The bill was introduced shortly after Mr Han said he would not appoint Constitutional Court judges until the parties reached a political agreement.

The opposition-controlled National Assembly earlier on December 26 approved the nomination of three judges, but Han still has to formally appoint them. Among them are Ma Eun-hyuk and Jeong Gye-seon, nominated by the Democratic Party, and Cho Han-chang, nominated by the ruling People's Power Party.

The appointment will give the court a full slate of nine judges for the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law on December 3. By law, at least six of the nine judges need to vote in favor for the trial to proceed.