Lawmakers from South Korea’s opposition party impeached Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-soo.
The impeachment is the latest event to mar South Korea after a political firestorm following a sudden, unpopular declaration of martial law by President Yoon Suk Yeol. The declaration led to Yoon’s impeachment on Dec. 14.
Han’s impeachment was the first time an interim leader had been impeached in South Korean history. He was in office for just 13 days, making him the shortest-serving leader in South Korean history, a record previously held by his immediate predecessor.
Han’s impeachment won the support of 192 lawmakers, much more than the needed 151 out of 300 seats. He bowed to the vote for the sake of political stability.
“In order not to add to the confusion and uncertainty, I will suspend my duties in line with relevant laws, and wait for the swift and wise decision of the Constitutional Court,” he said in a statement.
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok assumed the presidency after Han’s ousting on Friday.
“The most important thing right now is to minimize the confusion in state affairs,” he said after becoming interim president. “The government will do its best to stabilize them.”
The legislative body justified its second impeachment of a top politician by saying Han refused on Thursday to appoint three judges to fill vacancies in the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to remove Yoon.
Han said he held off on doing so until his People Power Party and the opposition bloc, including the Democratic Party and other smaller parties, can agree on whether an acting president can appoint such positions.
An acting president should “refrain from exercising the president’s own significant powers, including the appointment of constitutional institutions,” he said.
Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae told reporters that Han’s words were “not those of an acting president, but of one who is admitting to insurrection.” His party has accused the acting leader of aiding Yoon’s declaration of martial law earlier this month.
However, the two main opposing parties disagreed on how many votes were needed to remove Han. The majority party said a two-thirds threshold must be met because the prime minister is acting president, while the opposition says only a majority is needed.
The opposition party likely has the votes needed for a majority but not for a two-thirds majority.
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On Dec. 4, Yoon declared martial law for the first time in South Korea since 1980 and for the first time since the country became a democracy. His rationale was alleged pro-North Korean interests taking control of parliament and other “anti-state” forces. Immediately, opposition lawmakers rushed to the National Assembly, jumping over barricades and locking out special forces soldiers. Before the soldiers could enter the chamber, parliament unanimously voted to overturn martial law, leading to its end six hours later.
The saga has shaken South Korea’s international image, jeopardizing its long-standing alliance with the United States and Washington’s efforts in East Asia.
