South Korean President Impeached, Prime Minister Assumes Acting Role

Another record etched into South Korea's political history: The impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol passed!

• On December 14, 2024, the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol passed in the South Korean National Assembly, suspending his presidential duties. This has sent shockwaves through the nation, the political sphere, and even the international community, opening a new chapter in South Korea's democratic history.
• The grounds for impeachment included serious issues such as violations of the constitution, acts of rebellion, and destruction of the constitutional order. As a result, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has taken over as acting president. We will delve into the background and significance of the impeachment motion's passage, the upcoming Constitutional Court's decision-making process, and public opinion.

1️⃣ How was the impeachment motion passed?

This is because it was considered a serious violation of the constitution and laws.
Following the passage of the impeachment motion, the President's duties were suspended, and Prime Minister Han Duck-sootook over as acting president.

A. Passage of President Yoon Suk-yeol's Impeachment Motion! Summary of the suspension of duties and timeline 📰

December 14, 2024, will be a day long remembered in constitutional history. President Yoon Suk-yeol's impeachment motion passed the National Assembly, and his duties were suspended. This marks the third instance of its kind, following former President Roh Moo-hyun in 2004 and former President Park Geun-hye in 2016.

President Yoon Suk-yeol's duties were officially suspended at 7:24 PMon December 14th, with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo assuming the role of acting president. Let's take a closer look at the process. 😊

1) Impeachment motion passed

President Yoon's impeachment motion was conducted in the National Assembly plenary session with the participation of all 300 incumbent members.
The results were as follows:

• Time: 4 PM, December 14, 2024
• Result: Passed with 204 votes in favor, 85 votes against, 3 abstentions, and 8 invalid votes out of 300 incumbent members.
  • It passed by exceeding the required 200 votes by 4 votes.
• To pass, the impeachment motion needed a two-thirds majority (200 votes) of the incumbent members. It passed with 204 votes in favor.
• It is estimated that at least 12 defections occurred within the People Power Party.

2) Delivery of the resolution

• Time:Around 7 PM
• The impeachment resolution was delivered to the Constitutional Court and the Presidential Office by the Chairman of the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee.
  
  

3) Suspension of duties takes effect - Officially suspended from the time of document delivery

• Time: 7:24 PM, December 14, 2024
• President Yoon Suk-yeol's duties were officially suspended.
• Subsequently, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo took over as acting president.

4) Transition to acting president system

• Role of Prime Minister Han:Inherits all presidential powers, including the supreme command of the military, diplomatic power, and the right to request reconsideration of bills.
• Future possibilities:As Prime Minister Han is also under investigation regarding emergency martial law, if he is also suspended from his duties, there is a possibility that Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Choi Sang-mok will become acting president.

B. Comparison with past cases

• Former President Park Geun-hye: Impeachment motion passed on December 9, 2016 → Suspension of duties took effect around 7 PM (total time: 173 minutes)
• President Yoon Suk-yeol: Suspension of duties approximately 2 hours and 24 minutes later (total time: 144 minutes), the process was similar to that of former President Park.

The Constitutional Court will decide on the impeachment within 180 days. If upheld, President Yoon Suk-yeol will be the second president to be removed from office during his term, following former President Park Geun-hye.

If the impeachment is upheld, an early presidential election is expected to be held between April and August 2024. If dismissed, President Yoon Suk-yeol will return to his duties.

2️⃣ Grounds for impeachment, what was the problem?

The grounds for impeachment are broadly divided into three categories:

✅ Unconstitutional declaration of emergency martial law

President Yoon declared emergency martial law in violation of the constitution and laws.
The emergency martial law declared on December 3rd did not meet the procedures and requirements stipulated by the constitution.
This was considered an illegal act that violated the principles of popular sovereignty and separation of powers.

✅ Acts of rebellion

The impeachment motion included evidence suggesting that President Yoon had meticulously planned the emergency martial law for several months.
This raised concerns about attempts to obstruct parliamentary activities and suppress political opponents.
Ultimately, it was judged to be an act of rebellion that undermined the democratic order.

✅ Destruction of the constitutional order

The emergency martial law infringed on the fundamental rights of the citizens and severely undermined democracy and the constitutional order.
The National Assembly concluded that this could not be ignored.

3️⃣ Role of the Constitutional Court and future schedule

Following the passage of the impeachment motion, the matter is now in the hands of the Constitutional Court.
The Constitutional Court must complete the impeachment trial within 180 days.
If the impeachment is upheld by the Constitutional Court, President Yoon will be removed from office; if dismissed, he can return to his duties.

1) Main procedures of the Constitutional Court

1. Selection of the presiding justice: A justice responsible for the case is appointed.
2. Review of records: Justices thoroughly review the evidence and records.
3. Open debate: The presidential side and the National Assembly side present their arguments.
4. Final judgment: If all six justices agree, a decision to remove from office is made.

2) Variable of the 6-member Constitutional Court system

With only six justices currently on the Constitutional Court, a unanimous decision is required.
However, if the National Assembly appoints three additional justices, the likelihood of upholding the impeachment could increase.

4️⃣ Reactions from the public and the political sphere

✅ Public reaction

According to public opinion polls following the passage of the impeachment motion:

• A 73.6% of the public supported the impeachment.
• High approval ratings were also observed even in conservative areas such as Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do.
• In particular, among those in their 20s and 30s, approval ratings exceeded 80%.

✅ Reaction from the political sphere

Internal strife also occurred within the People Power Party.

• Supreme Council Members Jang Dong-hyeok, Jin Jong-oh, Kim Min-jeon, and In Yo-han resigned, taking responsibility for the impeachment.
• As a result, the Han Dong-hoon-led party is facing a crisis of collapse.
  The Democratic Party praised the passage of the impeachment motion as a first step towards restoring democracy.

5️⃣ Role of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo

With the president's duties suspended, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been appointed as acting president.
The Prime Minister must lead the country stably and fill the void left by the president.

Main duties of Prime Minister Han

• Presiding over cabinet meetings and overseeing all aspects of national governance
• Receiving foreign envoys and maintaining international cooperation
• Supreme command of the military and national security management

The Prime Minister bears the heavy responsibility of ensuring that the absence of a president does not cause confusion among the public.

6️⃣ Foreign reactions

The passage of President Yoon's impeachment motion has garnered significant attention from the international community.

• CNN (US): Reported that "South Korea's democracy has been put to the test once again".
• BBC (UK): Analyzed that "South Korea's political turmoil is likely to lead to diplomatic uncertainty".
• NHK (Japan): Reported that "the restoration of South Korea's constitutional order is a matter of international concern".

* Assessments from international experts

• Victor Cha (US Korea expert): "If constitutional procedures are respected, Korean democracy will be strengthened."
• European Political Scientists Association: "This impeachment will be recorded as a major case of Asian democracy."

7️⃣ Opinions of constitutional law scholars and citizens

✅ Perspectives of constitutional law scholars

• Constitutional law scholars generally assessed that the National Assembly's passage of the impeachment motion was a legitimate decision in accordance with constitutional procedures.
• Some scholars predicted that the Constitutional Court's judgment criteria would be very strict, urging a cautious decision.

✅ Voices of citizens

• In street interviews, most citizens emphasized that "the will of the people must be respected".
• Some expressed the hope that "political turmoil will not be prolonged".

South Korea's democracy faces a new test

• The impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol is not merely an incident concerning one president, but a significant event demonstrating how constitutional principles and democratic tenets operate and are protected. This impeachment was a decision based on the will of the people and constitutional procedures, and the Constitutional Court's judgment will complete the process.
• While there are concerns about the possibility of prolonged political turmoil, South Korea's constitutional order and democracy will use this crisis as an opportunity to mature and overcome such challenges. We hope that each citizen will reflect on the importance of constitutional procedures and continue their efforts to build a better nation and society even after the impeachment.

Check profile link

for shopping hot deals and additional information

Passion about How to do these, Tips for Social Media
AI News, AI Service Tools, and News for Creators