Doha – South Korean lawmakers voted Friday to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, marking an unprecedented second impeachment of a head of state in just two weeks and pushing the country further into political turmoil.
The National Assembly passed the impeachment motion with 192 votes in favor, following the December 14 impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol over his controversial martial law declaration earlier this month.
The parliamentary session descended into chaos when National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik announced that only a simple majority of 151 votes would be required for Han’s impeachment, rather than the two-thirds majority needed for President Yoon’s removal.
Lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) erupted in protest, rushing toward Speaker Woo and demanding his resignation while chanting “invalid!” and “abuse of power!”
The crisis began on December 3 when President Yoon shocked the nation by declaring martial law, citing the need to protect the country from “anti-state” forces.
The order was quickly reversed after 190 MPs voted it down, with some climbing fences and breaking barricades to access the voting chamber.
The opposition moved to impeach Han after he refused to appoint three judges to the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to uphold Yoon’s impeachment.
The court currently has only six of its nine seats filled, meaning a single dissenting vote could save Yoon from removal.
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“The most important thing right now is to minimize the confusion in state affairs,” said Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who will now serve as the new acting president. “The government will do its best to stabilize them.”
The political instability has taken a toll on South Korea’s economy. The won plunged to its lowest level against the dollar since the 2008 global financial crisis, while the KOSPI stock index fell 1.02% on Friday.
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev commented on the situation, saying “South Korea is at it again: one impeachment after another! Might as well start Squid Game for the government. Got our popcorn ready!”
Han, a career bureaucrat who has served in government since the early 1970s, said he would respect parliament’s decision. “In order not to add to the confusion and uncertainty, I will suspend my duties in line with relevant laws, and wait for the swift and wise decision of the Constitutional Court,” he stated.
The Constitutional Court has up to 180 days to rule on both impeachments. Meanwhile, President Yoon faces ongoing investigations by police and prosecutors on charges including insurrection.
On Friday, police raided a presidential safe house where Yoon allegedly met with officials to discuss imposing martial law.
“The essence of democracy is mutual respect for the other side,” Lee Jae-mook, a political science professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, told The New York Times. “But with politics becoming more polarized, South Korean democracy is being put to the test.”
