South Korea’s opposition parties announced on Thursday that they have filed an impeachment motion against Acting President Han Duck-soo, amid growing tensions over the stalled process of appointing judges to the Constitutional Court.
The court is central to deciding whether to finalize the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was suspended from office after declaring martial law on December 3.
Yoon’s suspension was confirmed by parliament on December 14, but the impeachment will not be official until the Constitutional Court rules.
However, the court is currently short of three judges, and while it can still function with its six members, a dissenting vote from any one of them would reinstate Yoon.
The opposition Democratic Party has accused Han of obstructing the process by refusing to approve three nominees for the court, leaving the country in a political deadlock.
Han, a career bureaucrat and member of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), has said he will approve the appointments only if both the ruling and opposition parties reach an agreement.
This position has led the opposition to argue that Han is not qualified to perform his duties as acting president.
“We have filed the impeachment motion and will bring it to the plenary session today,” said opposition MP Park Sung-joon. “We will put it to a vote tomorrow.”
The opposition claims that Han’s refusal to approve the judicial appointments and his rejection of two special probe bills intended to investigate Yoon’s martial law declaration and allegations involving his wife constitute a violation of his duty to uphold the constitution.
They accuse him of deliberately blocking investigations into the president and his wife, which they argue further undermines his ability to serve the public.
Han has defended his actions, stating that the appointments should only proceed if both the ruling and opposition parties can reach a consensus in the National Assembly, representing the people.
The 75-year-old acting president emphasized the importance of bipartisanship in such significant decisions.
If the opposition succeeds in passing the impeachment motion, it will mark the first time in South Korea’s democratic history that an acting president is impeached.
Should Han be removed, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is expected to step in as the new acting president.
The move comes amid a deepening political crisis, with President Yoon also facing criminal charges of insurrection related to his martial law declaration.
If convicted, Yoon could face severe penalties, including life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
Yoon has been summoned to appear for questioning by prosecutors on December 29, after previously refusing a summons on Christmas Day.
The political instability continues to roil South Korea’s vibrant political scene as the country grapples with ongoing disputes over governance.
