South Korea Parliament Impeaches Acting President Han Duck-soo

South Korea’s political crisis deepened on December 27, 2024, when parliament voted to impeach Acting President Han Duck-soo. This follows the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol on December 14, 2024, which was triggered by his brief imposition of martial law on December 3. Han had been serving as acting president since Yoon’s suspension, but his refusal to appoint three judges to the Constitutional Court led to growing opposition calls for his impeachment. This marks a significant moment in South Korea’s political history, as it would be the first time an acting president is impeached.

Key Points

Impeachment Of Acting President

• South Korea’s parliament voted to impeach Han after growing dissatisfaction over his refusal to appoint three judges to the Constitutional Court.
• The opposition argued that this obstructed the impeachment process and violated constitutional duties.

Political Crisis

• The impeachment of Han Duck-soo comes amidst a political deadlock. Han had refused to approve three nominees for the Constitutional Court, leading to a prolonged crisis.
• The opposition demanded immediate action to fill the vacancies and continue the process of holding President Yoon accountable.

Reason For Impeachment

• The opposition accused Han of “avoiding” the special investigation into President Yoon’s imposition of martial law and “intentionally rejecting” the appointments of the Constitutional Court judges.
• The motion claimed that Han’s actions violated his duty to uphold the law and serve the public.

Legal and Constitutional Issues

• Han’s refusal to appoint the judges, as per the motion put before Parliament, is seen as a violation of constitutional duties.
• However, Han defended his position, claiming that a compromise between the ruling and opposition parties must first be reached before making the appointments.

Economic Consequences

• Amid the political instability, South Korea’s economy was impacted, with the Korean won falling to its lowest level in nearly 16 years, highlighting the financial repercussions of the ongoing political deadlock.

Succesion

• If Han’s impeachment is successful, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok would assume the acting presidency, according to South Korean law.