South Korea's Political Turmoil Deepens as Acting President Han Faces Impeachment
In a dramatic turn of events, South Korea's opposition-controlled National Assembly voted to impeach Acting President Han Duck-soo, further plunging the country into political uncertainty. The impeachment motion, which passed with a 192-0 vote, accuses Han of collaborating with ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law and obstructing the restoration of the Constitutional Court's full membership ¹.
The crisis began on December 3 when Yoon imposed martial law, sparking widespread outrage and protests. The National Assembly quickly voted to overturn the decree, and Yoon's powers were suspended. Han, who was appointed prime minister by Yoon, took over as acting president but quickly clashed with the opposition-led Democratic Party ².
At the heart of the conflict is the Democratic Party's demand that Han approve the appointment of three new Constitutional Court justices. The party claims that Han's refusal to make the appointments is an attempt to obstruct the court's ruling on Yoon's impeachment. Han, however, maintains that he cannot make the appointments without bipartisan consent ².
The impeachment motion also accuses Han of delaying investigations into Yoon's alleged rebellion by not appointing independent counsels. Yoon's defense minister, police chief, and several other senior military commanders have already been arrested over the deployment of troops and police officers to the National Assembly ².
Han's impeachment has sparked concerns about the country's economic stability and international image. The South Korean won retreated to 1,475.4 per dollar, down 0.53% ahead of the parliamentary vote. Analysts warn that the prolonged political uncertainty could lead to economic troubles comparable to the country's devastating financial crisis of the late 1990s ¹.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has taken over as acting president, and his office has announced that he will instruct the military to boost its readiness to prevent North Korea from taking advantage of the situation. Choi has also assured the country's major partners, including the US and Japan, that South Korea's foreign policies remain unchanged ².
The Constitutional Court is expected to review Han's impeachment and make a decision within 180 days. If the court upholds the impeachment, a new presidential election will be held within 60 days. Until then, the country remains in a state of political limbo, with the opposition and governing parties locked in a bitter power struggle ¹.
As the crisis deepens, South Koreans are left wondering what the future holds for their country. One thing is certain, however: the outcome of this political turmoil will have far-reaching consequences for South Korea's economy, international relations, and democratic institutions.
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