POLITICS

South Korea's Political Shakeup: A New Acting President

South KoreaFri Dec 27 2024
In a surprising move, South Korea's parliament has impeached the acting president, Han Duck-soo. This is the first time an acting president has faced such a fate. Han, who is also the prime minister, refused to appoint new justices to the Constitutional Court. This happened just two weeks after President Yoon Suk Yeol was suspended for trying to impose martial law. Now, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is the country's third leader in a month. He's worried about North Korea taking advantage of the chaos and has asked the military to stay alert. Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court is deciding Yoon's impeachment. This political turmoil is making investors nervous, with the won dropping and the stock market falling. Some say impeaching Han could make things worse. The ruling party is fighting back, saying a two-thirds majority is needed to impeach an acting president. Han is waiting for the court's decision. The opposition leader says Han is acting like he's leading a rebellion. All this is happening because Yoon's party refused to agree on new judges for the court. The court needs seven justices to consider impeachments, but it only has six now. If Yoon is impeached, only one vote is needed to save him. The court says it can still decide even with fewer justices. But the opposition is warning of more impeachments until the court is full. Yoon is also facing corruption charges. The former defence minister has been charged for supporting Yoon's short-lived martial law.

questions

    What steps can South Korea take to restore political stability and maintain economic growth amidst the current turmoil?
    How will the impeachment of Acting President Han Duck-soo impact South Korea's political stability and economic growth?
    What are the legal implications of impeaching an acting president under South Korean law?

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