Impeachment charges against the acting President of South Korea, Han Duck-Soo

2024-12-27 17:40:37, Kosova & Bota CNA

South Korean lawmakers filed impeachment charges against the acting president on Friday as the country struggles to overcome a political crisis sparked by his predecessor's decision to declare a state of emergency, a move that shocked the world.

Han Duck-soo took over as Acting President after parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over the decision to declare a state of emergency on December 3.

However, opposition lawmakers called for Mr. Han, who is also prime minister, to be removed from office, on the grounds that he had refused demands to complete the process of impeaching Mr. Yoon and bring him to justice.

"The impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was passed. The 192 lawmakers present voted to impeach him," South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik said.

Counting of votes to impeach the sitting President was delayed after lawmakers from the ruling People's Power Party protested in parliament after Mr Woo said only a simple majority in the 300-seat parliament was needed to approve the impeachment motion. accusations for the dismissal of the President.

Lawmakers from the People's Power Party began shouting in anger, and many rushed to Mr. Woo, demanding his resignation. They did not participate in the vote.

This is the second impeachment of a South Korean president in just two weeks, further deepening the country's political crisis.

It was also the first impeachment of a sitting president in South Korea.

People's Power Party chief Kweon Seong-dong said after the vote that Mr. Han "should continue to lead state affairs without being subject to the opposition's approval of the impeachment motion."

However, Mr. Han said in a statement after the vote that he "respects the decision of parliament" and will await the Constitutional Court's subsequent decision on the matter.

The opposition said in its impeachment motion that Mr. Han was "deliberately avoiding the special investigation of those involved in the uprising and has made clear his intention to reject the appointments of three members of the Constitutional Court."

Such actions, he said, were "in violation of a public official's duty to uphold the law... and serve the public."

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will take over as South Korea's acting president.

Mr Choi had pleaded with opposition lawmakers not to vote on the motion to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo.

"A motion to impeach the sitting President is no different than a motion against the entire government cabinet," he said at a press conference with other cabinet members earlier Friday.

"Our economy and people cannot afford deepening political uncertainty around the incumbent President," he said.

South Korea's currency fell to a 16-year low against the US dollar on Friday morning. South Korea is the fourth largest economy in Asia./ VOA