South Korea’s opposition lawmakers have filed an impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who has been serving as the acting president since Parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol earlier this month.
The motion follows Han’s refusal to appoint three constitutional court judges nominated by the opposition-led Democratic Party (DP). Han’s actions have sparked fierce criticism from the opposition, with DP floor leader Park Chan-dae accusing him of acting as an “insurrectionist” rather than a caretaker president.
The opposition has also accused Han of supporting President Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law on December 3, which led to Han issuing an apology for failing to block the move. Furthermore, Han vetoed several opposition-sponsored bills, including one calling for a special investigation into Yoon’s brief martial law declaration.
The impeachment motion is expected to be put to a vote within the next 24 to 72 hours. To pass, it requires the support of 151 out of 300 members of Parliament. The DP currently holds 170 seats, and the opposition bloc, in total, controls 192 seats.
Opposition lawmakers had hoped that Han, as caretaker president, would refrain from obstructing their legislative agenda. However, Han has remained firm in his position, exacerbating the political standoff. On Tuesday, he concluded a cabinet meeting without addressing two key opposition bills that sought investigations into the martial law attempt and alleged corruption involving First Lady Kim Keon-hee. Han explained that he had postponed the agenda items to allow more time for dialogue between the ruling and opposition parties. However, Park Chan-dae condemned the delay, accusing Han of “buying time” to prolong the crisis.
Park warned Han that his legacy would be tarnished unless he chose to act as a “faithful public servant” rather than a “puppet” of Yoon Suk Yeol’s government.
On Thursday, Han made headlines again by refusing to appoint the three constitutional court judges nominated by the opposition-dominated National Assembly. This decision directly affects the ongoing deliberations on whether Yoon should be permanently barred from office. Han stated that he would only proceed with the appointments if the rival parties could reach a consensus. In response, Park declared that Han was “neither qualified nor willing to defend the constitution” and announced that the opposition would “immediately” table the impeachment motion.
The ruling People Power Party has criticized the opposition’s actions, arguing that the impeachment threat undermines Han’s “legitimate exercise of authority.” A senior official from the Prime Minister’s office described the opposition’s stance as “extremely regrettable.”
Han stepped in as acting president after Yoon was impeached earlier this month. If Han is also removed from office, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok would assume the role of caretaker president.
This latest development comes amid ongoing political turmoil in South Korea, with the Seoul Constitutional Court deliberating on whether Yoon should be permanently banned from office. The court is expected to hold its first public hearing later this week. It remains unclear if Yoon himself will attend the proceedings, although protesters have vowed to continue demanding his removal.
Yoon is also under investigation for alleged insurrection related to his failed attempt to declare martial law. Despite several summonses, he has refused to comply, and investigators have warned that they may issue an arrest warrant if he remains uncooperative. In addition to Yoon, several senior officials, including former defence minister Kim Yong-hyun, former interior minister Lee Sang-min, and army chief Park An-su, are also under investigation.
