South Korean Court Reinstates PM Han Duck-soo As Acting President
South Korea’s Constitutional Court has overturned the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, restoring him as acting president following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s suspension over his martial law declaration.
The court’s decision on Monday is the latest development in the country’s ongoing political turmoil, which began when Yoon attempted to impose military rule in December.
Lawmakers rejected his move, impeached him, and placed Han in charge, only for Han to face impeachment weeks later over his alleged role in the crisis and a judicial appointment dispute.
“The Constitutional Court has rendered a decision to reject the impeachment trial request against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo,” the court declared, ruling five-to-one against his removal.
Two judges argued the impeachment process was flawed due to a lack of a supermajority in parliament.
The court ruled that Han’s conduct in office did not amount to a “betrayal of the people’s trust.” The ruling is final and cannot be appealed.
Han, resuming his role as acting president, welcomed the decision, saying, “I believe that all citizens are clearly speaking out against the highly polarised political sphere. I think there is no place for division now. Our country’s priority is to move forward.”
Attention now shifts to the court’s pending verdict on Yoon’s impeachment, which has been delayed despite initial expectations for a ruling by mid-March.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung urged the court to act swiftly. “The entire nation is losing sleep over Yoon Suk Yeol’s illegal military coup,” he said, criticising the delay.
“Every day, every hour, every minute, every second, the international trust in the Republic of Korea is being broken, the economic damage is mounting.”
If Yoon’s impeachment is upheld, South Korea must hold fresh elections within 60 days.
Legal expert Yoo Jung-hoon stated that Han’s reinstatement does not directly impact Yoon’s case.
“The judges did not deliberate on the legality of martial law but rather on Han’s involvement in the case,” he noted.
Yoon, who was suspended in December, was arrested in January on insurrection charges unrelated to his presidency, making him the first sitting South Korean president to face trial.
He was released in early March on procedural grounds, energising his supporters.
Over the weekend, massive protests both for and against Yoon took place as the country awaited the final court ruling.
Lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong of Yoon’s People Power Party hailed Han’s reinstatement and condemned the opposition.
“They should apologise to the people for paralysing state affairs for 87 days with a hasty impeachment bid,” he said.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
