In a significant turn of events within South Korea's tumultuous political landscape, lawmakers have impeached Han Duck-soo, the acting president, amid growing unrest resulting from the controversial declaration of martial law by his predecessor, President Yoon Suk Yeol.
This political upheaval has not only captivated national attention but has also drawn widespread scrutiny and concern from the international community.
Han Duck-soo stepped into the role of acting president following the suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol, which came after a parliamentary vote that centered on Yoon’s controversial decision to impose martial law on December 3.
This drastic measure has been met with fierce opposition, and lawmakers from the opposition have moved to demand Han's removal from office. They have accused him of failing to initiate necessary proceedings to hold Yoon accountable and to complete the impeachment process that has been the subject of significant debate.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik announced the successful vote for impeachment, declaring, “I announced that the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been approved.
Of the 192 lawmakers who cast their votes, all 192 voted in favor of impeachment.” This overwhelming support from opposition members highlights the depth of dissatisfaction with Han's handling of the current political crisis.
The path to this impeachment vote was not without complications. The count was momentarily delayed due to disruptive protests from members of the ruling People’s Power Party (PPP), who expressed their discontent both vocally and through their absence during the vote.
The PPP's protest stemmed from the clarification that only a simple majority was required for the vote within the 300-member assembly. Frustrated by this outcome, PPP lawmakers chanted demands for Woo's resignation, illustrating the tense and chaotic environment that permeated the parliamentary proceedings.
This impeachment represents not only a landmark moment in South Korea's political history, as it marks the second impeachment of a head of state within a mere two weeks, but also serves as the first impeachment of an acting president in the country’s political framework.
In the aftermath of the vote, Kweon Seong-dong, the leader of the PPP, expressed his stance, emphasizing that Han Duck-soo "must continue to manage state affairs without conceding to the opposition's successful passage of the impeachment motion." Meanwhile, Han issued a measured response, stating his respect for the parliament's decision and his intention to await the Constitutional Court's ruling on the legitimacy of the impeachment motion against him.
The grounds for the opposition’s impeachment motion were serious. It claimed that Han Duck-soo had been “deliberately evading a special investigation aimed at examining those implicated in the insurrection” and criticized his explicit intention to block the appointments of three judges to the Constitutional Court. Such actions were characterized as violations of a public official’s duty to uphold the law and fulfill obligations to the public.
Following Han’s impeachment, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has been appointed as the new acting president. Choi previously cautioned against the potential fallout from advancing the impeachment motion, stating, "An impeachment motion directed at the acting authority is tantamount to an impeachment motion against the entire Cabinet." During a press conference with fellow Cabinet members, he emphasized the precarious state of the nation’s economy and the livelihoods of citizens, which he asserted could not withstand any further political turbulence given the current national emergency.
Thus, the political situation in South Korea continues to evolve, with rising tensions and uncertainties that pose significant implications for governance and public trust in the political system.
