South Korea's key opposition party is threatening to initiate impeachment proceedings against acting President Han Deok-soo if he does not officially promulgate a law to launch an investigation into President Yun Seok-yeol's attempt to unreasonably impose martial law.
Points of attention
- South Korea's key opposition party is threatening to impeach acting President Han Deok-soo for failing to comply with constitutional norms.
- The Democratic Party's efforts to resolve the situation led to the passage of legislation to appoint a special prosecutor to indict the president.
- Acting President Han Deok-soo is facing impeachment on suspicion of aiding an attempt to impose martial law.
What is known about the threats of impeachment against the acting president of South Korea
Through the efforts of the key opposition force in South Korea, the Democratic Party, a bill was passed in December of this year to appoint a special prosecutor to indict President Yun Seok-yeol for sedition.
The party, which accused Han of aiding Yun's attempt to impose martial law and reported him to the police, warned that it would "immediately initiate impeachment proceedings" against the acting president if the law was not officially promulgated by Tuesday, December 24.
"The delays show that the prime minister has no intention of adhering to the constitution, and this is tantamount to an admission that he is acting as a proxy for the instigator of the coup," Democratic Party leader Park Chan-dee said.
What is known about the acting president of South Korea, Han Deok-soo?
Han is a technocrat who has held senior positions in South Korean politics for 30 years under both conservative and liberal presidents. Yoon appointed him prime minister in 2022.
Han began acting as president in place of the ousted Yun, who was impeached on December 14 (the Constitutional Court is now due to consider Yun's removal from office).
He previously stated that he tried to block the declaration of martial law, but apologized for being unable to do so.
Park also accused Yoon of obstructing the Constitutional Court's proceedings by repeatedly refusing to accept court documents.
