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.