Han Duck-soo, South Korea’s prime minister and acting president, speaks during a press conference after lawmakers passed a motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on December 14, 2024 in Seoul, South Korea.
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South Korean lawmakers voted Friday to impeach incumbent President Han Duck-soo. This was the second removal of a head of state this month, following a short-lived war decree on December 3rd. according to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency.
Han’s predecessor, President Yoon Suk Yeol, was indicted just two weeks beforeafter declaring six hours of martial law earlier this month for the first time since the 1979 military coup, citing the need to “protect the constitutional order based on freedom and root out shameful pro-North Korean anti-state groups.” steal the freedom and happiness of our people,” according to NBC News.
Opposition lawmakers filed the motion against Han on Thursday over the incumbent president’s unwillingness to immediately appoint three judges to the Constitutional Court, which is preparing to begin deliberations on upholding Yoon’s impeachment or reinstating him.
Han’s own impeachment plunges South Korea into renewed political turmoil, shaking the foundations of its democratic success story and sending the Korean won down 0.40% to 1,472.22 following Friday’s news.
This breaking news story will be updated.
