South Korean opposition plans to impeach acting president Han, floor leader says

South Korea’s Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, second from right, who became the country’s acting leader after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment, salutes during a cabinet meeting at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (AP)

• Prime Minister Han has taken over from the suspended Yoon, who was impeached on Dec. 14 and faces a Constitutional Court review on whether to oust him or restore his powers

SEOUL: South Korea’s main opposition party intends to pursue the impeachment of acting president Han Duck-soo, the party’s floor leader said on Tuesday.
The Democratic Party’s (DP) floor leader Park Chan-dae announced this after Han postponed approving legislation to launch a special counsel investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law.
Prime Minister Han has taken over from the suspended Yoon, who was impeached on Dec. 14 and faces a Constitutional Court review on whether to oust him or restore his powers.
Han has called for the ruling and opposition parties to discuss the matter of a special counsel investigation and other issues.
“Acting president Han made it clear at today’s cabinet meeting that he would not greenlight the special prosecution law,” Park said.
“There is no way to interpret it other than that he is delaying time.”
The timing of submitting a bill to impeach Han could be decided as soon as Tuesday afternoon, local media reported.
With a majority in parliament, DP passed bills this month to appoint a special counsel to pursue charges of insurrection, among others, against the conservative Yoon — and to investigate his wife over a luxury bag scandal and other allegations.
Han did not put the bills on the cabinet’s agenda on Tuesday.
Han’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.
Yoon’s ruling People Power Party has accused the DP of threatening Han for not complying with their demands, at a time when South Korea’s key ally the United States has just restarted planned communications with Asia’s fourth-largest economy under Han’s stewardship.
Meanwhile, Yoon has yet to announce his legal team or appear publicly since a televised statement on Dec. 14, the day parliament impeached him.
Seok Dong-hyeon, a lawyer helping form Yoon’s defense team, told reporters on Tuesday that Yoon is unlikely to appear for questioning on Wednesday, Christmas Day, in answer to a summons by authorities investigating his move to impose martial law.
Yoon is prioritising the Constitutional Court’s trial on whether to remove him from office or to reinstate his presidential powers, Seok said.