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South Korea votes to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo

2024-12-27 09:23:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

South Korea has voted to impeach its acting president Han Duck-soo, two weeks after parliament voted to impeach its president Yoon Suk Yeol.

A total of 192 lawmakers voted to impeach him, more than the 151 votes needed for him to succeed.

Prime Minister Han took over the role after President Yoon was impeached by parliament following his failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3.

Han was supposed to lead the country out of its political turmoil, but opposition lawmakers argued that he was refusing demands to complete the impeachment process for Yoon.

It was a scene of chaos in parliament as the vote took place on Friday.

Lawmakers from Yoon and Han's People's Power Party (PPP) protested after National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik announced that only 151 votes would be needed to pass the impeachment bill.

That meant that, unlike the 200 votes needed to impeach Yoon, no votes from ruling lawmakers would be needed this time for Han to be impeached in parliament.

The ruling party MPs gathered in the middle of the voting booth chanting, "Void!" and "abuse of power!" in response and called on the Speaker to leave. Most of them boycotted the vote.

Han will be suspended from office once he is formally notified by parliament. Like Yoon, Han's dismissal will have to be confirmed by the constitutional court, which has 180 days to decide whether the dismissal should be upheld.

"I respect the decision of the National Assembly," Han said Friday, adding that he would "wait for the decision of the Constitutional Court."

The opposition initially filed a motion of impeachment against Han on Thursday after he blocked the appointment of three judges chosen by parliament to oversee Yoon's case

The Korean Constitutional Court usually consists of a bench of nine members. At least six justices must uphold Yoon's impeachment for the ruling to stand.

There are currently only six justices on the bench, meaning a single refusal would save Yoon from removal.

The opposition had hoped the three additional nominees would help improve the chances of Yoon being charged.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will replace Han as acting president. Han's departure is likely to intensify the political gridlock and insecurity currently facing the country.

On Friday, the Korean won also fell to its lowest level against the dollar since the global financial crisis 16 years ago - with both sides blaming each other for the chaos./ CNA