Han Dak-soo, South Korean Prime Minister and Acting President, speaks during a press conference after lawmakers passed an impeachment motion for South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol in Seoul, South Korea, on December 14, 2024.
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South Korean lawmakers voted on Friday to impeach acting President Han Dak-soo, the second impeachment of the head of state this month after a short-lived military decree issued on December 3, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will serve as acting president, in accordance with South Korean law.
Han’s predecessor, President Yoon Suk-yul, was impeached just two weeks ago, after imposing martial law for six hours at the beginning of the month for the first time since the 1979 military coup, citing the need to “protect the constitutional order based” on freedom and eliminate shameful anti-Islamic groups. A pro-North Korean state that steals the freedom and happiness of our people,” according to NBC News.
Opposition lawmakers filed a motion against Han on Thursday over the acting president’s reluctance to immediately appoint three judges to the Constitutional Court, which is preparing to begin deliberations on whether to uphold Yoon’s impeachment or return him to office. Han’s ruling People Power Party says filling vacancies on the Constitutional Court exceeds Han’s term as acting president. The Constitutional Court held a first hearing on Yoon’s case on Friday and has 180 days to reach a conclusion.
A simple majority of 151 votes, rather than two-thirds of parliamentary support, was needed to pass Friday’s vote. The assembly approved the motion to impeach Han by a vote of 192 to zero, while ruling party lawmakers boycotted the ballot, according to a Yonhap update translated via Google. The agency reported that Han said he would respect Friday’s decision.
Han’s impeachment plunges South Korea into renewed political turmoil, shaking the foundations of its democratic success story and sending the Korean won down 0.40% to 1,472.22 after Friday’s news. South Korea’s Kospi index fell by 1.02% during Friday’s session. Earlier on Friday, Choe of the Finance Ministry warned of the economic and security impact of the vote to impeach Han on Asia’s fourth-largest economy.
“At a time of global trade wars and national emergencies, the absence of a watchtower for state affairs would cause serious harm to our country’s credibility, economy, national security and continuity of governance,” Choi said, according to Yonhap.
The International Monetary Fund expects 2.5% growth in South Korea’s GDP for 2024, as well as a 2.5% inflation rate during this period.
