South Korea’s Constitutional Court has reinstated Han Duck-soo as acting president after a significant ruling on his impeachment. This decision comes amid the ongoing political turmoil following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol.
On Monday, the court voted 7-1 to dismiss the impeachment against Han, allowing him to return to the country’s highest office. The court is still deciding the fate of President Yoon, who was suspended from his role after declaring martial law on December 3.
Five of the eight justices found that there were not enough grounds to impeach Han, who is 75 years old. However, two justices argued that the impeachment motion was not valid because it did not have the support of a two-thirds majority in the legislature, as it was backed by only 192 out of 300 lawmakers.
Han was first appointed acting president after Yoon’s impeachment on December 14. However, he faced his own suspension shortly after for not appointing three additional justices to the Constitutional Court.
Following the ruling, Han expressed his gratitude to the court for what he called a "wise decision." He emphasized the need for unity in a politically divided country, stating that the focus should now be on addressing South Korea’s geopolitical challenges.
The court’s ruling on Yoon’s impeachment is still pending. If at least six of the eight justices uphold the impeachment, Yoon will be permanently removed from office. In that case, a new election must be held within 60 days to choose his successor. Yoon is also facing serious criminal charges related to his brief martial law declaration, which could lead to severe penalties if he is convicted.