Seoul: The Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating him as acting president amidst the ongoing political turmoil concerning suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief imposition of martial law.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the court's decision came with a 5-1 vote by the eight justices, with two justices opting to reject the impeachment motion entirely. This ruling follows three months after the National Assembly had impeached Prime Minister Han over his alleged involvement in President Yoon's declaration of martial law on December 3, among other charges.
The court acknowledged that Han had committed violations related to his deferral of appointing additional justices to the court, but concluded that these actions did not warrant his removal from office. The six justices who either dismissed or upheld the impeachment emphasized the lack of evidence supporting the National Assembly's claims that Han actively legitimized Yoon's martial law by convening a Cabinet meeting prior to its announcement.
Furthermore, the court ruled in favor of the National Assembly's stance that the quorum necessary to impeach a prime minister is 151 out of 300 lawmakers, contrasting the 200 required for a presidential impeachment.
Following the verdict, Prime Minister Han returned to his office and addressed the media, expressing gratitude towards the Constitutional Court for its decision. "I will start by dealing with urgent issues first," he stated, signaling his intent to address pressing matters immediately.