South Korean Parliament Votes on Impeachment of Interim President Han Duck-soo

On Friday, the South Korean Parliament will vote on an impeachment motion against interim President Han Duck-soo, who is accused of obstructing an investigation into the failed attempt by ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to impose martial law earlier this month, plunging the country into a severe political crisis.

On December 14, lawmakers voted in favor of the impeachment of President Yoon, who had briefly imposed martial law and sent the military to Parliament before backing down hours later. Han, the Prime Minister, is currently acting as president while Yoon’s fate awaits a ruling from the Constitutional Court, which has six months to validate or reject the impeachment.

The opposition accuses Han of deliberately hindering a special investigation into those involved in the rebellion, and of planning to block the appointment of three judges to the Constitutional Court, a move crucial for a two-thirds majority decision on Yoon’s impeachment. The opposition’s impeachment motion is set for a vote on Friday.