Seoul: South Korea’s Constitutional Court reinstated Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president on Monday, nearly three months after his impeachment, marking another dramatic development in the country’s ongoing political turmoil.
Han had assumed the role of acting leader following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faced removal over his short-lived declaration of martial law in December. With the court’s ruling, Han immediately resumes his duties as acting president.
“I am grateful for the wise decision made by the Constitutional Court,” Han stated following the verdict, expressing appreciation for the cabinet’s efforts during his suspension. “We will work together to prepare and implement responses to global changes, and to ensure that South Korea continues to develop well in the era of great geopolitical transformation,” he added in a televised address.
Yoon’s martial law declaration plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy, a key U.S. military ally, into its most severe political crisis in decades. The move triggered a wave of impeachments, resignations, and criminal investigations involving high-ranking officials, creating a leadership vacuum in Seoul.
Han’s tenure as acting president had initially lasted less than two weeks before he was impeached and suspended on December 27. His removal stemmed from a dispute with the opposition-led parliament after he refused to appoint three additional justices to the Constitutional Court.
On Monday, the Constitutional Court ruled seven to one in favor of overturning Han’s impeachment. According to the court’s statement, five of the eight justices acknowledged the validity of the impeachment motion but determined that Han had not violated the constitution or any laws. Two justices argued that the impeachment itself was invalid, citing the lack of a two-thirds majority vote in parliament. One justice voted to uphold the impeachment.
At 75, Han is a veteran politician with over three decades of leadership experience under five different presidents from both conservative and liberal backgrounds. Regarded as a rare bipartisan figure in South Korea’s polarized political landscape, he nevertheless faced accusations from the opposition-led parliament of failing to prevent Yoon’s martial law declaration—an allegation he denied.
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During Han’s suspension, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok assumed the role of acting president while the Constitutional Court reviewed the cases against both Han and Yoon. Han’s impeachment was tied not only to the martial law crisis but also to his refusal to expand the Constitutional Court’s bench and his opposition to special counsel bills targeting Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
In his sole court appearance on February 19, Han denied any involvement in the martial law decision and urged the Constitutional Court to dismiss the impeachment case against him.
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The crisis erupted when Yoon declared martial law on December 3, triggering widespread political upheaval and international concern, particularly from allies like the United States. Former President Joe Biden’s administration had regarded Yoon as a key partner in countering China and North Korea. However, the martial law lasted only six hours before lawmakers defied a security blockade and voted to nullify the declaration.
The Constitutional Court is expected to issue a ruling on Yoon’s impeachment in the coming days. If Yoon is formally removed from office, a new presidential election must be held within 60 days.
