South Korea’s Court Reinstates Impeached PM Duck-Soo As Acting President

South Korea’s Constitutional Court has reinstated Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president, overturning his impeachment. In a ruling on Monday, the court’s eight justices voted 7-1 to dismiss the impeachment motion, restoring Han to the country’s highest office while they continue to deliberate on the fate of impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The court’s decision was based on the fact that there were insufficient grounds to impeach Han, who is 75 years old. Five of the justices found the impeachment motion against Han valid but lacking in sufficient legal justification, while two justices argued that the impeachment motion was illegitimate because it was backed by only 192 of 300 lawmakers instead of the required two-thirds majority.

Han had been appointed acting president after President Yoon’s impeachment on December 14. However, he was suspended from his duties less than two weeks later due to his refusal to appoint three more justices to the Constitutional Court.

Following the ruling, Han expressed his gratitude to the court, calling the decision a “wise one.” In a televised address, he committed to addressing South Korea’s geopolitical challenges and emphasized the need for unity amid political polarization. “I believe that all citizens are clearly speaking out against the highly polarized political sphere. I think there is no place for division now. Our country’s priority is to move forward,” he stated.

This decision comes as the Constitutional Court has yet to rule on the impeachment of President Yoon. The court has been deliberating Yoon’s fate since mid-December, with a decision widely expected in the coming days. If six of the eight justices uphold Yoon’s impeachment, he will be permanently removed from office. Should Yoon be stripped of his presidential powers, a new election must be held within 60 days to elect a successor.

President Yoon faces criminal charges, including insurrection, stemming from his brief imposition of martial law on December 3. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment or the death penalty.