Acting President Han: "I will address urgent matters first"
Yongsan: "The National Assembly’s reckless impeachments are malicious political offensives"
On the 24th, when the Constitutional Court dismissed the National Assembly's impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han Deok-su, the Prime Minister immediately returned to duty at the Government Seoul Office Building after 87 days and headed to the Prime Minister's Office. 2025.03.24 Photo by Jo Yong-jun
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo returned as Acting President on the 24th, 87 days after being impeached. Taking on the role of Acting President for the second time, Han is expected to take the lead in government operations and actively respond to domestic and international issues such as tariff matters with the United States and wildfires.
However, political controversy is expected to continue due to differences of opinion among Constitutional Court justices revealed during Han’s impeachment trial. Conflicts with opposition parties over the appointment and veto powers of Constitutional Court justices are also likely to persist, meaning political turmoil is expected to continue.
On the morning of the same day, Han watched the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of the impeachment at the Prime Minister’s residence in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, then arrived at the Government Complex Seoul around 10:21 a.m. and immediately resumed his duties. Speaking to reporters, Han said, "First, I am grateful for the wise decision of the Constitutional Court," and added, "I would like to express my deep gratitude to Acting Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, who led the government to the best of his ability, and to each member of the Cabinet."
Han emphasized, "The people are clearly voicing that the fiercely divided political circles should not continue like this," and said, "I believe there is no longer a left or right. The truly important task is for our country to rise and progress forward." He added, "I consider this my final duty," and said, "I will do my best according to the Constitution and laws, and for the younger generation and the future of the Republic of Korea."
After returning, Han visited the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters shortly after arriving at work to check on the wildfire situation, and after receiving a handover from his predecessor, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, he plans to hold a meeting with Cabinet members. Unlike Deputy Prime Minister Choi, who was an ‘acting of the acting,’ Han is expected to take stronger control over ministries. It is known that even while his duties were suspended, Han reviewed related reports and articles at the official residence and pondered ways to overcome trade pressures from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Although no official position has yet been announced, Han is reportedly maintaining the stance that the appointment of Ma Eun-hyuk as Constitutional Court justice candidate requires bipartisan agreement. He is also likely to take a cautious stance on bills passed by the National Assembly plenary session led by the opposition, such as the amendment to the Commercial Act. Deputy Prime Minister Choi will continue his duties while monitoring the parliamentary impeachment procedure against himself.
The Presidential Office stated, "Today’s decision by the Constitutional Court once again proves that the National Assembly’s reckless and malicious political attacks through impeachment were unfounded," and added, "We hope that Acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s return to duty will be the starting point for normalizing state affairs."
A senior official from the Presidential Office said in the morning, "We welcome the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of Prime Minister Han’s impeachment," but added, "However, we cannot speculate on the timing or outcome of President Yoon’s final Constitutional Court ruling."
The Presidential Office has maintained a ‘low-key’ response, refraining from statements or messages related to President Yoon for over two weeks. It is known that at the senior secretaries’ meeting chaired by Chief Presidential Secretary Jeong Jin-seok the previous day, the focus was on early containment measures for the wildfires spreading nationwide rather than on responses before and after President Yoon’s ruling.
Regarding the delay in the Constitutional Court’s designation of President Yoon’s ruling date, the Presidential Office said, "We are considering the possibility that it may extend into April, but currently cannot predict anything," and added, "We will calmly and carefully await the results as we have been doing."
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