Korean politics continue to change

Five judges said the motion to impeach Prime Minister Han was valid but not sufficient grounds for impeachment because he did not violate the Constitution or South Korean laws regarding the declaration of martial law or the possibility of rebellion. Meanwhile, two other judges said the motion to impeach Han was invalid from the start. The remaining judge wanted to impeach Han. With this decision, Han was reinstated as prime minister and also as acting president. This is seen as a test of the court's view on the charges against President Yoon Suk Yeol in his impeachment trial.

The ruling came three months after the South Korean National Assembly impeached Prime Minister and Acting President Han Duck-soo for his role in President Yoon's declaration of martial law in December 2024. Prime Minister Han had been in office for less than two weeks when he was impeached and suspended from office on December 27, 2024.

Acting President Han Duck-soo said he would do his best to resolve pressing issues after his reinstatement, praising the Constitutional Court's ruling that dismissed his impeachment. Han also called for national unity as the country is polarized by the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol. The presidential office also issued a statement welcoming the Constitutional Court's reinstatement of acting President Han Duck-soo, while accusing the National Assembly of abusing its power to impeach government officials. Meanwhile, Park Chan-dae, leader of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DP), expressed regret over the Constitutional Court's decision to impeach acting President Han. Mr. Park also urged Acting President Han to quickly appoint opposition candidate Ma Eun-hyuk as the ninth justice of the Constitutional Court as the judicial body prepares to issue a ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

In another development, the South Korean court said on March 24 that the criminal trial of impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on charges related to martial law will officially begin on April 14. The court said Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, two witnesses requested by the prosecution, will be called to testify at the first trial. According to the prosecutor's indictment, both Choi and Cho expressed concerns to President Yoon before the South Korean leader declared martial law on December 3, 2024.