South Korea’s Constitutional Court has ruled to reinstate Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, striking down the impeachment motion passed against him late last year. The decision, made on Monday, takes immediate effect, restoring Han’s powers as both prime minister and acting president.
The nine-member bench delivered its verdict with five justices rejecting the impeachment motion, one upholding it, and two favoring dismissal. The impeachment had been initiated by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on December 27, following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol earlier on December 14 over a controversial attempt to impose martial law.
In the interim period, Choi Sang-mok, the economy and finance minister and deputy prime minister for economic affairs, had assumed the role of acting president after both the president and prime minister were impeached.
The court acknowledged that while the impeachment process against Han was legitimate, there was insufficient evidence to prove his involvement in President Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law and alleged insurrection. Additionally, although Han’s refusal to appoint constitutional court justices was deemed unconstitutional, the court found no intent on his part to interfere with the ongoing deliberation on Yoon’s impeachment.
President Yoon had declared emergency martial law on the night of December 3, a move that was swiftly revoked by the National Assembly just hours later.
