South Korea impeaches acting president Han Duck-soo, stirring new political chaos

South Korean lawmakers impeached the acting president on Friday, as the country struggles to shake off political turmoil sparked by his predecessor’s martial law declaration that shocked the world. Han took over from President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was suspended following a parliamentary vote over his move to impose martial law on December 3. However, opposition MPs demanded Han, who is also prime minister, be removed from office as well, arguing that he had refused demands to complete Yoon’s impeachment process and bring him to justice. “I announce that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment motion has passed. Out of the 192 lawmakers who voted, 192 voted to impeach,” said National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-Shik. Counting for the impeachment was delayed as ruling People’s Power Party (PPP) lawmakers protested in parliament after Woo said only a simple majority was needed in the 300-member parliament to proceed with the impeachment. PPP lawmakers began chanting angrily and many rushed towards Woo, demanding that he resign. They did not take part in the vote. It became the second impeachment of a South Korean head of state in just two weeks, adding to the turmoil of the country’s dynamic political landscape. Han’s exit also marked the first time South Korea has impeached an acting president. PPP leader Kweon Seong-dong said after the vote that Han “must continue to lead state affairs without yielding to the opposition’s passage of the impeachment motion”. However, Han said in a statement after the vote that he “respects the parliament’s decision” and would wait for the Constitutional Court’s subsequent decision whether to uphold it. The opposition said in its impeachment motion that Han was “intentionally avoiding the special investigation to probe those involved in the insurrection and has clearly stated his intention to reject the appointments of three Constitutional Court judges”. Such actions, it said, were “in violation of a public official’s duty to uphold the law … and serve the public”. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will step in as acting president in Han’s place as he is next in the constitutional line of succession. He is known to have strongly objected to the martial law decree during a cabinet meeting in which it was discussed shortly before Yoon announced it. Choi earlier pleaded with parliament to withdraw the plan to impeach Han, saying it would do serious damage to the country’s economy. At the heart of the current row is the composition of the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to uphold parliament’s decision to impeach Yoon and now Han. The court is currently short of three judges. While it can go ahead with its six members on the bench, a single dissenting vote would reinstate Yoon. The opposition wants Han to approve three more nominees to fill the nine-member bench, something that he has so far refused to do, essentially leaving both sides in deadlock. Jeong Hoi-ok, a professor of political science at Myongji University, described South Korea’s political crisis as plunging the nation into “semi-anarchy”. “The country is navigating uncharted waters after the December 3 martial law fiasco, putting its hard-won democracy – built through decades of pro-democracy struggles – at grave risk,” Jeong told This Week in Asia. She expressed concern about the Constitutional Court’s inability to function at full capacity, especially the uncertainty of when it would have its full strength of nine justices. Jung Suk-koo, a former columnist at The Hankyoreh, warned that Choi might resign or refuse to appoint the three Constitutional Court justices. “Political uncertainties are multiplying rather than diminishing,” he said. Democratic Party lawmaker Jo Seoung-lae said Han’s refusal to formally appoint the three judges “revealed his true colours”. The refusal “is a direct challenge to the Constitution and the law”, Jo said. Han has said that he would certify the judges’ appointments only if his ruling PPP and the opposition reach a compromise on the nominees. “The consistent principle embedded in our constitution and laws is to refrain from exercising significant exclusive presidential powers, including the appointment of constitutional institutions,” Han said. “A consensus between the ruling and opposition parties in the National Assembly, representing the people, must first be reached,” added the 75-year-old career bureaucrat. The Constitutional Court held its first preliminary hearing on the validity of Yoon’s impeachment on Friday despite the latest controversy. Yoon’s legal team said they would attend a preparatory hearing of the court’s impeachment trial at 2pm. Yoon is also under criminal investigation for inciting an “insurrection” during the martial law. Prosecutors said on Friday that Yoon had ordered Capital Garrison Command Commander Lee Jin-woo to forcibly remove lawmakers from the National Assembly chamber on December 3, and even suggested the use of force to prevent a vote on lifting the martial law. The South Korean won plummeted to 1,480.2 per US dollar on Friday morning, marking its lowest level in nearly 16 years. The won earlier plunged to a two-year low against the dollar after the declaration of martial law as investors, already concerned about the state of Asia’s number-four economy, shunned the currency. Police said on Friday that they have started to raid the presidential safe house and collect footage from nearby security cameras as part of the martial law probe.

South Korea impeaches acting president Han Duck-soo, stirring new political chaos

Han is accused of refusing to appoint judges to fill vacancies at the Constitutional Court holding hearing on Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law