South Korea's acting president faces impeachment vote
27/12/2024 6:06
South Korea's acting president
faces an impeachment vote as the Constitutional Court meets for
its first hearing on Friday in the case of President Yoon Suk
Yeol, who was impeached and suspended from duties after a
short-lived martial law.
The effort to impeach Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who has
been acting president since Yoon was impeached on Dec. 14,
threatens to intensify the political crisis gripping Asia's
fourth-largest economy and one of its most vibrant democracies.
The unexpected martial law decree and swift political
fallout shocked the nation and economic markets, unsettling key
allies the United States and Europe which had seen Yoon as a
staunch partner in global efforts to counter China, Russia, and
North Korea.
The plan for a vote to impeach Han was unveiled on Thursday
by the main opposition Democratic Party after he declined to
immediately appoint three justices to fill vacancies at the
Constitutional Court, saying it would exceed his acting role.
After Yoon's impeachment, the DP had said in the interest of
national stability it would not pursue impeaching Han over his
role in the martial law bid.
But the party has since clashed with the Yoon-appointed
prime minister over the justices, as well as bills calling for
special prosecutors to investigate the president.
On Thursday Han said it was beyond his remit as a caretaker
president to appoint the justices without bipartisan agreement.
A party spokesman said Han's refusal amounted to an abuse of
power aimed at obstructing Yoon's trial, adding that the prime
minister was himself "a key suspect in the rebellion".
The leader of Yoon's People Power Party, Kwon Young-se, told
reporters that if Han was impeached, that could trigger a new
financial crisis, the Yonhap news agency said.
Yoon cited a high number of impeachment votes and other
obstructionist moves by the DP as part of his justification for
trying to impose martial law. He also later said it was needed
to investigate questions over election security.
The vote to determine Han's fate comes as the Constitutional
Court is set to hold its first hearing in a case that will
decide whether Yoon is reinstated or permanently removed from
office.
The court has 180 days to decide whether to reinstate Yoon
or remove him. In the latter scenario, a new presidential
election would be held within 60 days.
Yoon is not required to attend the hearing, and it is
unclear if anyone from his legal team will be there.
In contrast to South Korea's two previous impeached
presidents, Yoon has refused to receive or acknowledge court
communications so far.
On Thursday a court spokesperson said the hearing would be
held regardless of his team's participation, but she did not
comment on whether the president would eventually be compelled
to respond.
LEADERSHIP CRISIS
If Han is impeached, the finance minister will assume the
acting presidency.
The Democratic Party has majority control of parliament, but
there is disagreement between the parties and some
constitutional scholars over whether a simple majority or a
two-thirds vote is needed to impeach the acting president.
On Thursday the South Korean won weakened to its lowest
since March 2009 in holiday-thinned trading amid the U.S.
dollar's continued rally.
Analysts said there was little to reverse the negative
sentiment stemming from political uncertainty this week, while
the strong dollar has not worked in favour of South Korean
stocks.
Yoon shocked his country and the world with a late-night
announcement on Dec. 3 that he was imposing martial law to
overcome political deadlock and root out "anti-state forces".
The military deployed special forces to the national
assembly, the election commission, and the office of a liberal
YouTube commentator.
It also issued orders banning activity by parliament and
political parties, as well as calling for government control of
the military.
But within hours 190 lawmakers had defied the cordons of
troops and police and voted against Yoon's order. About six
hours after his initial decree, the president rescinded the
order.
Yoon survived a first impeachment vote on Dec. 7 after his
party boycotted the motion, but divisions within his
conservative camp deepened after he gave a defiant speech
defending martial law, questioning the validity of elections,
and claiming domestic opponents were aligned with North Korea.
At least 12 of his party joined the opposition to support
impeachment on Dec. 14, and he was suspended from duties.
Yoon and senior members of his administration also face
criminal investigations for insurrection over their decision to
impose martial law.
|