What’s Next for South Korea?

What's Next for South Korea?

After the impeachment procedure against South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, the opposition in parliament has now also submitted a motion to impeach the interim President Han Duck-soo. The vote on this is scheduled for Friday.

Han had previously refused to appoint three new judges for the nine-member Constitutional Court. He justified the step by citing a lack of agreement between the government and opposition parties. At least six votes are required for a motion to pass in the Constitutional Court, and currently, three of the nine seats on the bench are vacant. The opposition accuses Han of risking the impeachment of Yoon still failing.

The South Korean parliament had voted for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol at the beginning of December, after he unexpectedly declared a state of emergency in a budget dispute with the opposition. Following massive protests and a corresponding parliamentary motion, he lifted the state of emergency a few hours later. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo took over the duties of the head of state temporarily.