South Korea: Ruling Party Challenges Impeachment of Acting President Han
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Seoul, Dec 28 (NationPress) The ruling People Power Party (PPP) in South Korea expressed strong disapproval on Saturday regarding the Opposition-led impeachment of acting President Han Duck-soo, labeling it an effort to undermine the government, and argued that the impeachment should be invalidated.
The National Assembly, led by the opposition, voted for Han's impeachment on Friday, occurring less than two weeks after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached due to his failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3.
As a result of the impeachment, Han has been suspended from his duties, with Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok stepping in as the acting president.
The motion for impeachment was initiated by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) after Han declined to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court, which is responsible for adjudicating Yoon's impeachment trial.
Spokesperson Seo Ji-young from the PPP stated, 'The impeachment of Han must be nullified as it did not fulfill the necessary conditions for impeaching an acting president and did not meet the required quorum for approval.'
Seo criticized National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik for allowing the impeachment vote to proceed with a simple majority, arguing that this decision facilitated a move to incapacitate the administration and represented a misuse of legislative authority, as reported by Yonhap news agency.
The PPP contended that the vote on Friday was illegitimate because Woo declared that a simple majority was sufficient for impeachment in the 300-member National Assembly, rather than the two-thirds majority required for presidential impeachment.
A simple majority is applicable for Cabinet members, while a two-thirds majority is essential for the impeachment of a president.
This vote marks a historic first in Korean history where an acting president has faced impeachment by parliament.
Acting President Choi stated on Friday that the government will strive to prioritize the stabilization of state affairs amidst fears that ongoing political instability may adversely affect the country’s diplomatic relationships and disrupt financial markets.
Choi, who also holds the roles of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Finance Minister, assumed the interim leadership following the National Assembly's suspension of Han Duck-soo.
