South Korea’s National Assembly impeached acting President Han Duck-soo on Friday (27 Dec) in a landslide 192-0 vote. This historic decision marks the first time an acting president has been impeached, occurring less than two weeks after Han assumed the role following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The motion, introduced by the opposition Democratic Party (DP), accused Han of obstructing judicial appointments and abetting Yoon’s controversial imposition of martial law. Han’s refusal to promulgate two special counsel bills targeting President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee, along with other alleged constitutional violations, was cited among the five reasons for impeachment.
The DP, which holds 170 seats in the 300-member Assembly, brought the motion forward on 26 December after Han declined to appoint three justices to the Constitutional Court. These appointments are considered critical to adjudicating Yoon’s impeachment, as the Constitution requires six out of nine justices to uphold such a decision. With only six justices currently seated, even one dissenting vote would overturn Yoon’s impeachment.
Lawmakers from Yoon and Han’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) protested after National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik announced that only 151 votes would be needed to pass the impeachment bill. This threshold was calculated based on the rules for impeaching a prime minister, in contrast to the 200 votes required for Yoon’s impeachment as president.
Ruling party MPs reacted angrily in the chamber, chanting, “Invalid!” and “Abuse of power!” as they called for the Speaker to step down. Most PPP lawmakers then boycotted the vote, allowing the motion to pass unanimously among those present.
In response to the impeachment results, Han stated that he respects the National Assembly’s decision and will await the Constitutional Court’s ruling on the matter.
According to Article 65 of the South Korean Constitution, impeaching the president requires a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly, equating to 200 out of 300 members. In contrast, other officials, including the prime minister, can be impeached with a simple majority.
Han’s dual role as acting president and prime minister has sparked debate over which threshold applies. The Constitutional Court is now tasked with reviewing the impeachment’s validity, including procedural aspects concerning the required majority.
The Court’s forthcoming decision will clarify the constitutional interpretation of impeachment requirements for an acting president, determining whether the simple majority applied was appropriate or if the two-thirds threshold mandated for a sitting president should have been met.
Grounds for Han’s impeachment
Han’s impeachment was primarily driven by his refusal to appoint the three justices approved by the opposition-controlled Assembly. The DP accused Han of delaying the appointments in an effort to influence the outcome of Yoon’s impeachment trial.
Additionally, Han was criticised for his suspected involvement in Yoon’s imposition of martial law earlier this year. This controversial decision led to widespread condemnation and became a key reason for Yoon’s own impeachment on 15 December.
Han also faced backlash for declining to enact two special counsel bills aimed at investigating allegations involving Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee. These bills, passed by the Assembly, were seen by the DP as essential measures to ensure accountability within the highest ranks of government.
In his defence, Han argued that he would not appoint justices to the Constitutional Court until political consensus was reached between the PPP and the DP. This stance, however, deepened divisions and ultimately sealed his fate in the Assembly.
Political repercussions and next steps
The impeachment of Han leaves South Korea in uncharted political territory. With the acting president removed, leadership responsibilities are expected to fall to the next in line within the government, though further details remain uncertain.
The DP’s actions also underscore the fraught political environment in South Korea, where opposition parties have leveraged their parliamentary majority to challenge the executive branch. Meanwhile, the PPP, which largely boycotted the impeachment vote, has criticised the process as partisan overreach.
