Two leaders has consumed South Korea in a month. The parliamentary dismissal of Han Duck-sooacting president, unleashed a crisis unprecedented in four democratic decades and pushed the country into uncertainty with no end in sight. At the same time, the former president, Yoon Suk-yeolhas finally been arrested after a bizarre race that began on December 3, with the imposition of martial law.
Below are some keys to understand how the Asian country has reached this situation:
The country has been in a hurricane since the former president, Yoon Suk-yeoldictated martial law on the night of December 3, appealing to a delirious cooperation of north korean forces with the parliamentary opposition to overthrow the country and the Government. It was barely in force six o’clockknocked down by Parliament and finally withdrawn by the president, upon whom incessant requests for resignation. He ignored them all: those on the streets, the unions, the opposition and even his party. In his mad rush to martyrdom, Yoon broke the pact with his formation, the People’s Power Party (PPP)by which this shielded him from humiliating parliamentary dismissal in exchange for his quick and orderly departure. Already without the unanimous support of his caucus, Yoon was expelled by Parliament two weeks ago and relieved by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. After fighting until the end, the controversial president Yoon Suk-yeol has been arrested.
Han Duck-soo’s tenure was so ephemeral as predicted. He Democratic Party (PD)which barely has a two-thirds majority in Parliament, criticized him for his alleged complicity in martial law, which would torpedo the opening of a independent investigation about the former president and, especially, that he did not cover the three vacancies of the Constitutional Court that will validate the parliamentary dismissal. Han has alleged that these decisions go beyond the powers of an acting president and demanded an agreement between the two major parties for the appointments of the Constitutional Court. Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition, has accused him these days of ignoring his constitutional duties and acting as Yoon’s “loyal guard.” “The only way to normalize the country is by removing all the insurgent elements once and for all,” he cried. He was replaced by the next one in the pecking order, Choi Sang-mokMinister of Finance.
Choi will have his work cut out for him: he serves as president, prime minister and finance minister. His mandate seems as ephemeral as that of his predecessor if he does not comply with the demands of an opposition already subscribed to impeachments as a daily weapon. The underlying issue is Constitutional Court. It has only six of its nine members because political disputes have prevented the replacement of the three retirees. It would be enough for one of the six to oppose Yoon’s dismissal to invalidate it, which is why the PD wants more room to fill the vacancies.
The Constitutional Court began the oral hearing and will issue its failure within six months. Surely his decision will not end a crisis that has hit the reputation and the stability of the country. He wonare national currencyhas fallen to his lowest values in 15 years and consumer confidence has returned to pandemic levels. Choi had asked Parliament the day before not to dismiss Han. “Our economy and the livelihood of our people are already walking on a thin layer of ice and cannot bear any more.” political uncertainty“, said.
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