South Korea's acting president Han Duck-soo impeached amid political crisis
27 Dec 2024

South Korea's acting president Han Duck-soo was impeached by lawmakers on Friday.

The impeachment motion was passed with a unanimous vote of 192-0 in the national assembly.

This comes as the latest development in the political crisis sparked by suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration earlier this month.

Notably, ruling party lawmakers boycotted the vote in protest against the speaker's decision to proceed with a simple majority.

Han accused of obstructing justice, violating public duty
Accusations detailed

Opposition lawmakers have accused Han of obstructing justice and refusing to complete Yoon's impeachment process.

They also criticized his refusal to appoint three Constitutional Court judges.

The opposition said such actions "were in violation of a public official's duty to uphold the law... and serve the public."

In response, Han expressed that he "respects the parliament's decision" and will await the Constitutional Court's ruling on this matter.

Finance Minister to act as president, court's decision awaited
Leadership transition

After Han's impeachment, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will take over as acting president.

Choi had earlier warned that impeaching the acting president was similar to an impeachment motion against the entire cabinet, which could worsen economic and political instability.

The Constitutional Court, which is currently functioning with six judges instead of nine, will rule on whether to uphold both impeachments.

Political turmoil impacts economy, sparks legal investigation
Economic fallout

The political unrest in South Korea has also affected the country's economy. The South Korean Won plunged to a nearly 16-year low against the US dollar amid the turmoil.

Apart from economic repercussions, police raided a presidential safe house as part of an investigation into the martial law declaration.

The court held its first preliminary hearing on Yoon's impeachment on Friday, another major step in this ongoing political crisis.