Another One: South Korea Votes To Impeach Acting President Two Weeks After He Took Over Role
It’s another day of political turmoil in Seoul, as the South Korean parliament has voted to impeach its acting president Han Duck-soo, just two weeks after it voted to impeach former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Previously the country’s prime minister, Han took over the role after President Yoon’s failed attempt at a coup on 3rd December when he imposed martial law – only for it to be reversed by parliament shortly after.
Han had just been chosen a fortnight ago to lead South Korea out of its ongoing political chaos, but opposition MPs have now argued he’s refusing demands to complete his predecessor’s impeachment process. It all seems to have kicked off yesterday, when Han blocked the appointment of three judges that parliament had chosen to oversee Yoon’s case.
The two politicians are, after all, from the same ruling People Power Party (PPP), with members of the party protesting when it was announced that only 151 votes would be needed to pass the impeachment bill (unlike the 200 required for Yoon’s impeachment earlier this month). By the end, a total 192 were cast in favour of Han’s impeachment.
Despite many MPs from the ruling party shouting “invalid” and “abuse of power” in the middle of the voting chamber, Han actually said he respected the decision of the National Assembly, promising that he “will wait for the Constitutional Court’s decision.”
Meanwhile, as South Korea continues to grapple with this political gridlock, its currency, the won, plunged to its lowest level against the dollar since the global financial crisis 16 years ago. Of course, both parties are now blaming each other for this.
What do you make of these latest developments?
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