During a tumultuous General Assembly meeting centered on his failure to appoint three new Constitutional Court justices, South Korea’s National Assembly voted today ( December 27 ) to remove Han Duck-soo from office. Politicians voted 192 to 0 for prosecution, with the decision People Power Party boycotting the vote.
Han’s prosecution movement was passed only two days after Yoon Suk Yeol, the president, was ordered to leave his posts on December 14 for his sudden declaration of martial law on December 3, a shocking action that has sparked outcry after demand for his treatment.
This is the first time an standing president has been impeached in North Korean history. After being impeached by the legislature and while his situation is pending at the Constitutional Court, Han assumed Yoon’s presidency. Finance Minister , Choi Sang-mok , is next in line to offer as interim president.
First, the Democratic Party said it would certainly indict Han if he did not reject any regulations. Democratic Party chief Lee Jae-myung said on December 15 that “going through prosecution too frequently can create confusion for the people.”
Han has vetoed six laws since taking office as president, though, in just one month. Additionally, he has declined to nominate three new members of the Constitutional Court, which would increase the likelihood of a decision that may bring about Yoon’s legitimate removal from power.
In a speech on December 26 Han said,” It is the heart of our law that an acting president refrains from constantly exercising national power, including appointments to the Constitutional Court justices.”
Two more judges are scheduled to retire in April 2024, leaving the Constitutional Court with three seats left open. In order to confirm Yoon’s resignation, at least seven judges must be present to premeditated an impeachment movement and six must rule in favor.
Han requested that the ruling and opposition parties reach an agreement before requesting that he assign the judges. The Democratic Party contends that no further discussion is necessary because the justice suggestions have already been subject to legislative confirmation hearings and legislative vote-ins.
Acting President Han, who has already vetoed legislation, is making the sexist say that he is refusing to carry out the government’s royal duties of appointing Constitutional Court justices, according to Democratic Party ground president Park Chan-dae.
The decision People’s Power Party railed the Democrat Party, accusing the antagonism of being careless of people’s employment.
” The acting president Han Duck-soo’s senate is not an impeachment for the nation and its citizens,” said the statement. Instead, People Power Party surface head Kwon Seong-dong called for the DP leader to be impeached.
” If foreign exchange rates increase to 1, 500 Korean won per one US dollars, Korea may encounter a financial crisis”, Kwon added.
Kwon argued that Han was attempting to restore faith in the world’s economic system in South Korea. Han’s prosecution may be harmful to South Korea’s business, Kwon claimed.
Today’s ballot was riddled with discussion. There are no precedent in South Korea, and the law does not specify how many votes are needed to remove an acting president.
According to the Democratic Party, 151 seats are required to remove Han from office, citing laws that require a simple majority to remove him from office. Before Yoon was suspended from his jobs, acting President Han was President Yoon’s prime minister.
The People Power Party, in contrast, claimed that the number of votes needed for president impeachment may be equal to that needed. electronic. a two thirds lot among listed politicians.
But, Woo Won-shik, the speech of the National Assembly, sided with the Democratic Party and claimed that the prosecution motion needed only 151 vote. Woo served six words as a former senator under the Democrat Party, despite the fact that the National Assembly Speaker is law-independent.
” I am aware that there are various opinions on how many votes are required to complete the action. The goal of this activity is impeaching a perfect minister who happens to be acting as President in accordance with the constitution, according to Woo as he introduced the voting process.
As opposition politicians started to voting, ruling party politicians stormed the Speaker’s floor, chanting “fundamentally null and void”.
The People Power Party politicians were met with their own song, demanding the party’s dissolution. They also chanted at the opposition party members. ” I have made this decision after much debate with law scientists”, Woo clarified.
As the Speaker declared voting halted at 4:25 am native time, ruling party lawmakers staged a boycott and stormed out of the room. In front of the National Assembly, ruling group politicians called on Speaker Woo to step down following the vote.
According to People Power Party surface head Kwon,” The senate of acting-President Han Duck-soo requires the two-thirds of the listed lawmakers to vote in favor,” but National Assembly Speaker Woo haphazardly chose to allow the movement to pass with only a simple majority. ” So, because it is less than two-thirds, we declare the action necessarily void and void”, he added.
Following Han’s prosecution, Finance Minister Choi may assume the role of acting leader.
Choi did not immediately reply on Han’s prosecution. However, before the ballot, Choi said,” the senate of Han may reduce the part of the senior body”.
Choi has been a long-standing official since the early 2000s and has held important positions in finance. He was a part of the bribery scandal that formerly ruled former president Park Geun-hye in 2016, but he was later reinstated by President Yoon in 2022.
However, Han’s prosecution has frustrated the start of a advisory body—made up of the executive and legislative bodies—which was set to explore issues related to the person’s lives.
Han stated following the impeachment that” I regard the National Assembly determination and will wait for the Constitutional Court choice… I will suspend my duties in accordance with relevant laws to prevent further dilemma.”