Staff Reporter.
South Korea’s Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-soo. [Photo/Agencies]
A majority in South Korea’s parliament has voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, as ongoing turmoil in Asia’s fourth-largest economy sent the currency plunging to levels not seen since the 2007-2009 global financial crisis.
A total of 192 lawmakers of the 300-member parliament voted to impeach Han on Friday, while governing party politicians boycotted the vote.
Prime Minister Han has been acting president since President Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached on December 14 over his short-lived imposition of martial law on December 3, and his presidential powers were suspended.
After Han’s impeachment on Friday, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is next in line to assume the acting presidency, according to South Korean law.
The main opposition Democratic Party (DP), which controls parliament and holds 170 seats, decided to impeach Han after he did not immediately appoint three justices to fill vacancies at the constitutional court.
The DP-controlled parliament backed three nominees on Thursday, but Han said he would not formally appoint them unless there was bipartisan agreement on the appointments.
There has been disagreement between the ruling and opposition parties and some constitutional scholars over whether a simple majority or a two-thirds vote is needed to impeach the acting president.
However, parliament speaker Woo Won-shik, who is from the DP, said only a simple majority was needed to impeach Han.
At least six judges on the constitutional court must uphold Yoon’s impeachment to remove him from office.
The court currently only has six justices following the retirement of three judges earlier this year, meaning that the bench would have to deliver a unanimous ruling to strip Yoon of the presidency.
Yoon, who has defended his martial law declaration as legal and aimed at tackling “anti-state forces”, is also under criminal investigation on suspicion of insurrection and abuse of power.
The bid to impeach Han, less than two weeks after he took up his role following Yoon’s impeachment, plunges South Korea into further political uncertainty as the country is still reeling from Yoon’s martial law decree on December 4.
In a statement after the vote, Han said he was saddened by what the unfolding events meant for the next generation, but accepted the outcome.
“I respect parliament’s decision and in order to avoid further chaos and uncertainty, I will suspend my duties in accordance with relevant laws,” he said.
He added he would await the decision of the Constitutional Court to review the impeachment motion. The ruling People Power Party, which has objected to the opposition-led impeachment of Han, said it had filed a constitutional petition.
Choi now assumes the role of acting president as the person next in line under the law. He is set to speak to the military chief and consult the foreign minister and acting defence minister.
The motion led by opposition parties passed with 192 of the 300 votes amid rowdy scenes by People Power Party members who surrounded the speaker’s podium, chanting that the vote was invalid and parliament had engaged in “tyranny”.
The South Korean won fell sharply against the US dollar on Friday, falling below 1,480 won for the first time since March 2009.
Source: Fullview and News Agencies.