South Korea’s opposition lawmakers have filed a motion to impeach the country’s prime minister and acting leader Han Duck-soo, less than two weeks after parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.
This came after Han refused to appoint constitutional judges nominated by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP).
“Han has proven himself to be a sitting insurgent and not a sitting president,” DP parliamentary group leader Park Chan-dae said on Thursday.
The opposition has also accused Han of supporting Yoon’s attempt at martial law on December 3. Han had previously apologized for not blocking it.
Han also vetoed several opposition-led bills, including one that called for a special investigation into Yoon’s short-lived martial law declaration.
The impeachment motion is expected to be voted on in the next 24 to 72 hours.
For it to succeed, 151 out of 300 MPs must vote for it.
The DP currently holds 170 of the 300 seats in parliament. The opposition bloc has a total of 192 seats.
The opposition parties had hoped that Han would not stand in their way as the country’s interim president and allow draft laws to be passed.
But instead he remained steadfast and exacerbated the political conflict.
On Tuesday, Han concluded a Cabinet meeting without considering two opposition-sponsored bills that would require special investigations into the martial law declaration and corruption allegations against first lady Kim Keon Hee.
He said he did not put it on the agenda to give the ruling and opposition parties more time to compromise.
But Park Chan-dae, leader of the DP faction, accused him of “buying time and prolonging the uprising.”
“We have clearly warned that it is entirely up to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo whether he goes down in history as a nefarious figure, a puppet of rebellion leader Yoon Suk Yeol, or a public servant who faithfully carried out the deed.” “Forgo orders from the public,” Park said in a televised party meeting.
And on Thursday, Han said he would not appoint the three judges nominated by the opposition-dominated National Assembly to the Constitutional Court, which is deliberating whether Yoon should be charged, unless rival parties reach a consensus.
Park said, “It has become clear that Han Duck-soo is neither qualified nor willing to defend the Constitution,” adding that the opposition will introduce the impeachment bill “immediately.”
Han’s ruling People Power Party said the opposition’s threats had compromised Han’s “legitimate exercise of power”, while a senior official in the prime minister’s office criticized the threats as “extremely regrettable”.
Han took over as acting president after Yoon was ousted earlier this month. If lawmakers vote to indict Han, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will be next in line.
This latest development in the country’s political unrest comes as Seoul’s Constitutional Court deliberates whether Yoon should be permanently barred from holding office.
The court is expected to hold its first public hearing later this week.
It is unclear whether Yoon himself will take the stand during the hearings, but protesters have vowed to continue their calls for Yoon’s removal during the trial.
Yoon is also under investigation for an alleged insurrection over his failed attempt to place the country under martial law.
He has refused to answer multiple subpoenas issued to him and investigators have warned they could issue an arrest warrant if he continues to be unresponsive.
Several senior officials – including former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min and army chief Park An-su – are also under investigation.
Additional reporting from Jake Kwon and Hosu Lee in Seoul
