South Korea and Impeachment Threat Against Acting President Han
Kanako Mita and Noriko Watanabe
Modern Tokyo Times
The acting President of South Korea, Han Duck-soo, faces impeachment. If so, the constitutional crisis will deepen to a new level.
This follows the impeachment and suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol after he unleashed the martial law debacle.
Reuters reports, “The opposition Democratic Party had threatened to impeach Han if he did not immediately appoint three justices to fill the vacancies at the Constitutional Court. Parliament backed three nominees on Thursday, but Han has yet to formally appoint them.”
However, the main opposition party in South Korea may unleash fresh economic, political, and social convulsions by pursuing this path.
Kwon Young-se (People Power Party) warned against the impeachment of Han. He said this could drive the economy of South Korea into a “major crisis.”
However, Park Chan-dae (Democratic Party floor leader) is adamant that Han doesn’t have the political qualifications to protect the Constitutional arrangements of South Korea.
Park said, “It has become clear that Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-soo does not have the qualification or the will to safeguard the Constitution.”
Park continued, “Han has revealed himself to be an acting insurrectionist, not an acting president.”
The BBC reports, “This comes after Han refused to appoint constitutional court judges nominated by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP).”
Han also drew hostility from the main opposition party after he vetoed opposition-led bills concerning a special investigation into the actions of Yoon related to martial law – and other bills he deemed hostile.
Park – angered by Han – said, “We’ve clearly warned that it’s totally up to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo whether he would go down in history as a disgraceful figure, as a puppet of rebellion plot leader Yoon Suk Yeol, or a public servant that has faithfully carried out the orders by the public.”
Han seeks the political consensus of all main parties concerning the appointment of three judges (Constitutional Court) – and not one party dictating.
Yonhap News reports, “If appointed, the three nominees will fill vacancies on the court’s nine-member bench, where six justices are currently seated, to deliberate President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment trial. By law, at least six votes are required to uphold an impeachment motion.”
The convulsions unleashed by Yoon’s declaration of martial law are continuing.
Lee Jay Walker (Modern Tokyo Times analyst) says, “South Korea needs political consensus between all main parties to solve the crisis. If not, the economic, political, and social situation will deteriorate.”
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