SEOUL: South Korea’s main opposition party plans to “immediately” take steps to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo, the party’s floor leader said on Tuesday (Dec 24).
The Democratic Party’s (DP) floor leader Park Chan-dae announced this after Han postponed approving legislation to launch a special counsel investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law.
Prime Minister Han has taken over from the suspended Yoon, who was impeached on Dec 14 and faces a Constitutional Court review on whether to oust him or restore his powers.
“Acting president Han made it clear at today’s cabinet meeting that he would not greenlight the special prosecution law,” Park said.
“There is no way to interpret it other than that he is delaying time.”
The timing of submitting a Bill to impeach Han could be decided as soon as Tuesday afternoon, local media reported.
With a majority in parliament, DP passed Bills this month to appoint a special counsel to pursue charges of insurrection, among others, against the conservative Yoon – and to investigate his wife over a luxury bag scandal and other allegations.
Han did not put the Bills on the cabinet’s agenda on Tuesday, instead calling for the ruling and opposition parties to discuss the Bills and other issues.
An unnamed high-ranking official from Han’s office called DP’s planned move “highly regrettable”, according to the Newsis news agency.
“The international community is currently supporting the acting president system. Impeachment could undermine that trust, and adversely affect the economy,” Newsis cited the official as saying.
Han’s office could not immediately be reached for comment.
