'Personnel Vacuum' Lengthens... Korean Acting President Caught Between Ruling and Opposition Parties

Ruling Party and Opposition Accuse Each Other of 'Ajeoninsu' Over Acting Authority Personnel Rights
Prime Minister's Office "Haven't Reviewed Yet... It Will Take Time"
Han Who Says "Not Attached to Position"... Deep in Thought

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Acting President, paid a courtesy call on National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 15th. Photo by Yonhap News

The ongoing self-serving confrontation between the ruling and opposition parties over the personnel authority of Acting President and Prime Minister Han Deok-su raises concerns that the 'personnel vacuum' amid the impeachment crisis will be prolonged. Acting President Han stated that he "is not attached to the position" and intends to exercise his authority according to the Constitution and laws, but it is expected that he will continue to deliberate for a considerable period amid the political parties' disagreements.

According to the government and political circles on the 17th, the appointment of successors for three constitutional court justices recommended by the National Assembly, the Minister of National Defense, the Commissioner of the National Police Agency, and other key positions remains uncertain. The same applies to military generals such as the Army Chief of Staff and the Capital Defense Command Commander, who are suspended due to the emergency martial law situation, as well as the Ambassador to China, a position previously designated for former Presidential Secretary Kim Dae-gi.

Although Acting President Han received all powers following the passage of the impeachment motion against President Yoon Seok-yeol, the exercise of personnel authority has become difficult as the ruling and opposition parties interpret the scope of Han's authority differently according to their own interests. A Prime Minister's Office official said, "Since the acting authority system was established only recently, there has been no time to review personnel matters, and the positions of the ruling and opposition parties are also unclear," adding, "It will take quite some time."

The immediate focus is on the appointment of constitutional court justices. The People Power Party declared that the acting president cannot appoint constitutional court justices and announced they would not participate in the confirmation hearings, while the Democratic Party of Korea is considering a unilateral election by the opposition, leading to a standoff. Since the constitutional court currently operates with six justices, there is a possibility of delays in the impeachment trial, setting the stage for a fierce confrontation between the ruling party, which wants to buy time, and the opposition party, which wants to conclude the process quickly.

A senior official from the Prime Minister's Office told reporters the day before that "no concrete review has been conducted yet" regarding the appointment of constitutional court justices, and expressed a cautious stance, saying, "There are differing opinions among scholars on whether it is appropriate for the acting president to actively exercise such authority." The official also maintained that no specific review has been done concerning the appointment of successors to former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, who was arrested as a ringleader of the rebellion charges, and the suspended generals.

Acting President Han reportedly told his aides that he would decide on personnel authority and veto power without worrying about political pressure for the prime minister's impeachment. A Prime Minister's Office official conveyed, "He said that the Constitution, laws, and the nation's future are more important, and that his personal position is not important," adding, "He intends not to refrain from exercising authority out of fear of impeachment."

However, as Acting President Han prioritizes stable governance, he is expected to exercise his authority by gathering opinions from both ruling and opposition parties as much as possible. Since there are differences in positions not only regarding constitutional court justices but also the Minister of National Defense and the Ambassador to China, it is inevitable that resolving the personnel vacuum will take time. The government explained that it is actively communicating with both parties through relevant ministries and vice ministers, as well as reviewing laws and past cases.