South Korean National Assembly approves impeachment of Acting President Han

The South Korean National Assembly has approved the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had been serving as acting president following the suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol after his failed 6-hour declaration of martial law on December 3.

In the vote held in the 300-seat assembly, 192 lawmakers voted in favor of Han's impeachment, with the majority in the National Assembly supporting the prime minister's removal from office. The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) had submitted a motion on December 26 for the impeachment of Han Duck-soo, who was acting in place of Yoon. In a statement following the parliamentary decision, Han expressed that he would await the evaluation of the impeachment process by the Constitutional Court and would step down from his duties to prevent further chaos.

According to South Korean law, following Prime Minister Han's removal from office, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is expected to be appointed to serve as acting president. Han stated that he was accused by the DP for not approving a special prosecutor's investigation that should have been launched into Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon-hee. DP Parliamentary Group Leader Park Chan-dae stated that this stance was intended to buy time for Yoon's declaration of martial law and his attempted insurrection.

On December 12, a motion to launch a special prosecutor's investigation into Yoon's martial law attempt was accepted by the assembly with 195 votes. Additionally, a separate investigation motion regarding accusations of 'stock manipulation and election interference' against Yoon's wife, Kim Keon-hee, had also been accepted.

The DP had threatened to initiate an impeachment process against Prime Minister Han if the assembly's investigation decisions regarding Yoon and his wife were not put into effect by December 24.

Two separate investigations are currently being conducted into President Yoon Suk Yeol by the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office and the Corruption Investigation Office.

Meanwhile, following Yoon's temporary suspension from the presidency, the first preliminary hearing of Yoon's impeachment trial has begun at the Constitutional Court.

Yoon, who is being tried on charges of attempted insurrection due to the declaration of martial law, will be removed from office if the charge is upheld, and an early presidential election will be held within 60 days. If the charge is rejected, he will be reinstated. The Constitutional Court will deliver its verdict on Yoon's impeachment trial within 6 months from December 14, when the case began to be evaluated.

WHAT HAPPENED?

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on the night of December 3 in a televised address, alleging that "the opposition is involved in anti-state activities."

Following this step, the Ministry of Defense ordered military commanders to hold meetings and remain on high alert, while martial law troops entered the National Assembly. In an emergency session held at the assembly, a motion to lift the martial law decision was accepted with the votes of 190 lawmakers, and martial law became void as a result of the vote.

Upon this, Yoon convened the Cabinet and announced that he had ended martial law following the cabinet's approval. However, the main opposition Democratic Party and five small opposition parties found the declaration of martial law unconstitutional and submitted a motion to the National Assembly for Yoon's impeachment. The motion was rejected in the vote held on December 7 as the qualified majority could not be reached. However, the motion resubmitted by the opposition on December 14 reached the qualified majority this time and was accepted. The assembly began the impeachment process for Yoon, Yoon was temporarily suspended from office, and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was appointed as acting president in his place.