South Korean lawmakers have voted to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, finding he ‘actively participated in the insurrection’ after his predecessor declared martial law earlier this month.
‘I announce that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment motion has passed,’ said National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik on Friday. ‘Out of the 192 lawmakers who voted, 192 voted to impeach.’
Chaos erupted in parliament as the vote was held this morning, with lawmakers from Han and Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP) chanting ‘invalid!’ and ‘abuse of power!’. Most boycotted the vote.
Prime Minister Han took over the presidential role after parliament voted to impeach Yoon Suk Yeol just two weeks ago amid fallout from a failed attempt to impose martial law.
Stepping up to the role on December 14, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo had vowed to ‘ensure stable governance’.
In light of today’s vote, the country’s Finance Minister will now assume the acting presidency.
South Korean acting President Han Duck-soo speaks at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Dec. 26
Yoon Suk Yeol (pictured, December 3) was impeached after declaring martial law this month
Like Yoon, Han’s impeachment will now need to be confirmed by the constitutional court, which has 180 days to rule on upholding the impeachment.
‘I respect the decision of the National Assembly,’ Han said today, adding that he would ‘wait for the Constitutional Court’s decision’.
A total of 192 voted for his impeachment today, more than the 151 needed for it to pass from the 300 seats in the National Assembly.
Opposition MPs had argued he was refusing to cooperate in order to complete Yoon’s impeachment process.
The opposition filed an impeachment motion against Han on Boxing Day after he blocked the appointment of three judges appointed to oversee the case of his predecessor.
Yoon had said he wanted to protect the country from ‘threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness’ when he tried to impose martial law on December 3.
Out of 300 lawmakers, 204 voted to impeach Yoon on allegations of insurrection while 85 voted against. Three abstained, with eight votes nullified.
Yoon has been banned from leaving South Korea, as law enforcement authorities are investigating whether he and others involved in the martial law declaration committed rebellion, abuse of power and other crimes.
If convicted, the leader of a rebellion plot can face the death penalty or life imprisonment.
The decision to impeach the president has been somewhat controversial.
On the day of the decision, some 200,000 people massed outside parliament in support of removing the president, as some 30,000 gathered in support of Yoon.
Massive demonstrations were ongoing for weeks in the leadup to the decision. Both sides have remained mostly peaceful in protest.
Yoon’s martial law imposition, the first of its kind in more than four decades in South Korea, lasted only six hours, but has caused massive political tumult, halted diplomatic activities and rattled financial markets.
He nonetheless vowed to fight on and doubled down on unsubstantiated claims the opposition is in league with the country’s communist foes.
Yoon has the presidential privilege of immunity from criminal prosecution but that doesn’t extend to allegations of rebellion or treason.
Subsequently, Yoon could be investigated, detained, arrested or indicted over his martial law decree, but many observers doubt that authorities will forcefully detain him because of the potential for clashes with his presidential security service.