SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s Parliament removed interim President Han Duck-soo on Friday, less than two weeks after suspending President Yoon Suk Yeol’s powers over his brief declaration of martial law , plunging the country further into political chaos.
acting president since Yoon was ousted on December 14 for declaring martial law on December 3, has taken South Korea’s democratic success story into uncharted territory.
In a statement after the vote, Han said he was saddened by what the events meant for the next generation, but accepted the result.
“I respect Parliament’s decision and, to avoid further chaos and uncertainty, I will suspend my duties in accordance with the relevant laws,” he said.
He added that he would wait for the Constitutional Court’s decision to analyze the impeachment motion. The ruling People Power Party, which opposed the opposition-led impeachment of Han, said it had filed a constitutional petition.
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Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok now assumes the role of acting president as the next in line of succession according to law. He is expected to speak to the military chief and consult with the foreign minister and the acting defense minister, a spokesman said.
The motion, led by opposition parties, passed with 192 of 300 votes, amid scenes of rioting from People Power Party members, who shouted that the vote was invalid and that Parliament had engaged in “tyranny”.
Before the parliamentary session, opposition leader Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, which holds majority control of Parliament, accused Han of “acting in furtherance of insurrection.”
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Opinion polls showed that there was overwhelming public support for Yoon’s removal following his .
The plan for a vote to impeach Han came after he refused to immediately appoint three judges to fill vacancies on the Constitutional Court, saying it would exceed his interim role.
“Impeaching Han will only mean prolonged political uncertainty,” said Huh Jae-hwan, an analyst at Eugene Investment & Securities.
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“In terms of financial markets, (Choi) taking charge can only be bad news as it shows that political turmoil is ongoing.”
(Reporting by Joyce Lee, Hyunsu Yim, Hyunjoo Jin, Moon Youn-ah, Cynthia Kim)
