Breaking News: South Korean Parliament Impeaches Acting President Han Duck-soo
In a dramatic turn of events, the South Korean Parliament (National Assembly) voted to impeach Acting President Han Duck-soo during a special session held on Friday, December 27, 2024. This move adds another layer of political turmoil to the ongoing crisis sparked by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s shock declaration of martial law on December 3.
Acting President Han took office following the parliamentary impeachment of President Yoon. However, opposition lawmakers pushed for Han’s removal, accusing him of dragging his feet on proceeding with Yoon’s impeachment trial and refusing to appoint three new justices to the Constitutional Court.
"Today, our Democratic Party has recalled Prime Minister Han Duck-soo according to the people’s will," announced Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung. The impeachment motion accused Han of deliberately stalling the investigation into the martial law declaration and openly defying the appointment of the new justices.
The vote to impeach Han was met with fierce protest from ruling party lawmakers. Scenes of chaos unfolded in the Assembly as lawmakers objected to the parliamentary speaker’s ruling that a simple majority (151 votes) was sufficient to proceed with the impeachment. Speaker Woo Won-shik confirmed the vote, with 192 lawmakers voting in favor of impeachment.
With Han removed from office, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Choi Sang-mok will assume the role of acting president pending the installation of a new president.
South Korea finds itself in unprecedented territory, having removed two heads of state in the span of less than two weeks. This latest impeachment also marks a first in the country’s history – the removal of an acting president.
(haf/dhn)
