PROFILE: South Korea Constitutional Court to rule on PM Han's impeachment on Monday

Record ID: 1984869

  • Title: PROFILE: South Korea Constitutional Court to rule on PM Han's impeachment on Monday
  • Date: 14th December 2024
  • Summary: On December 27, South Korea's parliament impeached Han Duck-soo, less than two weeks after suspending President Yoon Suk Yeol's powers. The impeachment of Han came after he declined to immediately appoint three justices to fill vacancies at the Constitutional Court, saying it would exceed his acting role. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (DECEMBER 27, 2024) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAIN
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Han Duck Soo Prime Minister South Korea acting prime minister politics profile
  • Location: SEOUL, BUAN, HWASEONG, SOUTH KOREA / BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • City: SEOUL, BUAN, HWASEONG, SOUTH KOREA / BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA009454604122024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: South Korea's Constitutional Court said on Thursday (March 20) it will deliver a decision on Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment next Monday (March 24).
    Han, who first took over as acting president since President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached on Dec. 14 for declaring martial law on Dec. 3, was later impeached by parliament as acting president on December 27, 13 days after taking office.
    Han's impeachment came after he declined to immediately appoint three justices to fill vacancies at the Constitutional Court, saying it would exceed his acting role.
    Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok assumed the role of acting president after Han was impeached.
    Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration plunged South Korea, Asia's fourth-largest economy and a key U.S. military ally, into its greatest political crisis in decades, threatening to shatter the country's reputation as a democratic success story.
    Han, 75, has served in leadership positions for more than three decades under five presidents, both conservative and liberal.
    His roles have ranged from prime minister, finance minister and trade minister to presidential secretary for policy coordination, besides being ambassador to the United States and the OECD and heading up think-tanks and organisations.
    Han had been prime minister since Yoon's term began in 2022, his second time in the role after a stint under former president Roh Moo-hyun in 2007-2008.
    (Production: Angie Teo, Feline Lim, Hyunyoung Yi)
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