On Monday, the South Korea’s Constitutional Court rejected the impeachment of the Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. This ruling clears out the way for him to possibly be elected acting president. In an unprecedented move, the court ruled decisively, 5-1 in favor of Han Duck-soo. We understand that in making this decision there are enormous political ramifications for our nation. His fortunes began to sour as the opposition Democratic Party impeached him in December. Specifically, they blasted him for failing to appoint three justices to the Constitutional Court. The justices were vigorously test-driving the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. He had pointed to his having for a brief period declared martial law during the course of his governorship.
The court’s ruling was upheld by two justices who dismissed the impeachment charges altogether. The significance of this dismissal was a watershed for Korean politics. It paves the way for Han Duck-soo to become acting president and shapes the subsequent political feud playing out between the Blue House, opposition parties, and other political actors. The eight justices of the Constitutional Court were key actors in this landmark case.
The Speaker of Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok temporarily assumed acting president from Han Duck-soo during the impeachment process. Choi Sang-mok subsequently appointed two of the three justices whose appointments Han Duck-soo had originally declined. This move was seen as a response to the political tension surrounding the impeachment and the investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol's leadership.
The dismissal of Han Duck-soo's impeachment underscores the complexities within South Korea's political landscape. It underscored the extraordinary pressures on governmental institutions in navigating inter-branch power struggles and preserving the constitutional order. The court’s ruling will likely have an effect on upcoming political processes, and set the course for the future of South Korean democracy.