Politics

South Korea: Court Reinstates Prime Minister Han as Acting President

MAR 24 2025·Updated MAR 25 2025

Story

Above: South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks to the media after the Constitutional Court dismissed his impeachment on Mar. 24, 2025. Image credit: Jung Yeon-je/Pool/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images

The Facts

South Korea's Constitutional Court overturned Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment on Monday, immediately reinstating him as the country's acting president.
BBC News
ap
Han took over after Pres. Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment in December following his attempt to impose martial law, which plunged the country into its greatest political crisis in decades.
Reuters
France 24
However, on Dec. 27, the National Assembly impeached Han after he was accused of being an accomplice to Yoon's martial law declaration and acting improperly in refusing to appoint three Constitutional Court justices needed to fill the court.
Korea Herald
France 24
Han's successor, Choi Sang-mok, appointed two justices, leaving the court's ninth seat vacant. On Monday, seven of those eight judges ruled to overturn or dismiss Han's impeachment, with one voting to uphold it.
ap
France 24
Korea Herald
Upon returning to presidential duties, Han thanked the court for its "wise decision" and promised to safeguard South Korean interests in what he described as a "trade war" with the US.
Reuters
France 24
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court has to set a date for when it intends to impeach Yoon. Separately, Yoon awaits prosecution for criminal charges, including rebellion for his short-lived martial law decree, and faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted.
France 24
Sky News
ap

Sources Split

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RIGHT

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CRIT

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ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

This decision to reinstate Han is no surprise to those following proceedings at the Constitutional Court. Judges have already dismissed nine other impeachment attempts launched by the opposition Democratic Party, showing that it's abusing the majority in the National Assembly for a brazen political crusade.

Korea Herald

Narrative B

This is a deeply disappointing and regrettable decision from the Constitutional Court. It's clear that Han's failure to appoint justices to the court was an attempt to make it easier to overrule Yoon's impeachment, and as such, Han failed to uphold his duties and obligations as set out by the country's constitution.

The Korea Times