SEOUL — South Korea's National Assembly voted Friday to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo, less than two weeks after he took over for President Yoon Suk Yeol who was impeached for his botched imposition of martial law.
A motion to impeach Han passed unanimously in a 192-0 vote, marking the first time an acting President was impeached by Parliament.
Han was suspended from his duties as soon as the impeachment resolution was delivered to him, putting Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok in his seat to serve as both the acting President and the acting Prime Minister.
"I respect the decision of the National Assembly, and in order not to add to the confusion and uncertainty, I will suspend my duties in line with relevant laws, and wait for the swift and wise decision of the Constitutional Court," Han said in a statement.
The ruling People Power Party (PPP) protested the decision, however, saying the vote was invalid as the quorum for impeachment was set at a simple majority of 151 votes, which applies to Cabinet ministers, not at a two-thirds majority of 200 votes, which applies to the President, Yonhap news agency reported.
The quorum was announced by National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik immediately before the vote, sending PPP lawmakers scrambling to encircle the Speaker's seat and punch the air while shouting "null and void."
The impeachment motion against Han was introduced by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) the previous day after he refused to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court that will adjudicate Yoon's impeachment trial.
The DP listed five reasons for his impeachment, including his refusal to appoint justices, his involvement in Yoon's martial law imposition, and his refusal to promulgate two special counsel bills targeting Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee.
The court currently has only six justices on the bench after three retired at the end of their terms. By law, at least six votes are required to uphold an impeachment motion, which means the appointment of three additional justices could improve the chances of Yoon's impeachment being upheld.
Shortly after the motion against Han passed, the PPP filed for an adjudication on jurisdiction disputes and an injunction with the Constitutional Court to nullify his impeachment.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Choi assumed his duties and planned to meet with Han later in the day before holding a phone call with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issuing a written address to the public and convening the National Security Council, according to his ministry.