A South Korean court has overturned the impeachment of its prime minister Han Duck-soo – but has not yet ruled on the separate impeachment of president Yoon Suk Yeol.
Mr Han, 75, became acting president after Mr Yoon was impeached by the South Korea‘s national assembly in December after he imposed martial law and triggered a massive political crisis.
But Mr Han was also impeached by the assembly later that month following political strife with opposition lawmakers.
The successive impeachments were unprecedented in South Korea’s history and intensified domestic division and worries about the country’s diplomatic and economic activities.
In the latest twist in the country’s recent turbulent politics, seven of the eight judges at South Korea’s constitutional court overturned or dismissed Mr Han’s impeachment on Monday – leading him to be reinstated as acting leader.
The deputy prime minister and finance minister, Choi Sang-mok, had served as acting president since Mr Han’s impeachment.
The judges ruled that the accusations against him weren’t against the law, or weren’t serious enough to remove him from office or his impeachment motion didn’t meet a required quorum when it passed through the assembly.
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One justice upheld Mr Han’s impeachment. Dismissing Mr Han would have needed the support of at least six justices.
The court has yet to rule on Mr Yoon’s impeachment.
Speaking after the ruling, Mr Han said: “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.”
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If the court upholds Mr Yoon’s impeachment, South Korea must hold an election for a new president. If it rules in his favour, Mr Yoon will be restored to office and regain his presidential powers.
Mr Yoon has been separately arrested and charged with rebellion in connection with his martial law decree. If convicted of that charge, he would face the death penalty or a life sentence.
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Mr Yoon’s martial law declaration plunged Asia’s fourth-largest economy into its greatest political crisis in decades, and sparked a leadership vacuum amid spiralling impeachments, resignations, and criminal indictments for a range of top officials.
Massive rival rallies either backing or denouncing Mr Yoon have divided the streets of Seoul and other major cities in South Korea.
