Impeachment of Acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo Passed... Unprecedented 'Acting of the Acting' System Established

The impeachment motion against Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo passed the National Assembly plenary session on the 27th. This is the first time in constitutional history that an impeachment motion against an acting president has passed. With Han's impeachment, Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, will assume the role of acting president.

On the same day, the National Assembly approved the impeachment motion against Acting President Han with 192 votes in favor. The People Power Party did not participate in the vote, claiming it was "null and void."

Before the impeachment vote, Speaker Woo Won-shik specified the quorum for the resolution as a majority of the total members (151), the standard for the prime minister's impeachment.

Speaker Woo said, "This agenda will be voted on by secret ballot according to Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the National Assembly Act," and added, "Regarding the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, it will be resolved by a majority of the total members in accordance with Article 65, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution."

In response to Speaker Woo's decision, members of the People Power Party gathered in front of the speaker's podium, shouting "null and void," "abuse of authority," and "resign, Speaker," to protest. Earlier, the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the quorum for the impeachment motion. The Democratic Party insisted on 151 members, while the People Power Party countered by claiming that the quorum should be 200 seats, considering Han's status as president.

Immediately after his impeachment passed, Acting President Han stated, "I respect the decision of the National Assembly. I will await the Constitutional Court's ruling."

Members of the People Power Party are protesting Speaker Woo Won-shik on the 27th at the National Assembly plenary session over the quorum issue for the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. (Photo by Gong Byung-sun)