South Korean Opposition threatens to impeach President Han Duck-soo over martial law counsel

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

South Korea’s main Opposition party threatened on Monday (December 23, 2024) to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo if he failed to proclaim a law to launch a special counsel investigation into President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law.

Prime Minister Han has taken over from the suspended Mr. Yoon, who was impeached on Dec. 14, 2024, and faces a Constitutional Court review on whether to oust him.

With a majority in Parliament, the Opposition Democratic Party passed a bill this month to appoint a special counsel to pursue charges of insurrection, among others, against the conservative Mr. Yoon and to investigate his wife over a luxury bag scandal and other allegations.

The party, which has accused Mr. Han of aiding Mr. Yoon’s martial law attempt and reported him to the police, said it would “immediately initiate impeachment proceedings” against the acting President if the legislation was not promulgated by Tuesday (December 24, 2024).

“The delays show that the Prime Minister has no intention of complying with the constitution, and it is tantamount to admitting that he is acting as a proxy for the insurgent,” Democratic Party floor leader Park Chan-dae told a party meeting, referring to Mr. Yoon.

Mr. Han is a technocrat who has held leadership roles in South Korean politics for 30 years under conservative and liberal presidents. Mr. Yoon appointed him Prime Minister in 2022.

Mr. Han’s office could not immediately be reached for comment. He previously said he had tried to block Mr. Yoon’s martial law declaration, but apologised for failing to do so.

Mr. Park also accused Mr. Yoon of hampering the Constitutional Court trial by repeatedly refusing to accept the Court documents.

“Any delay in the investigation and impeachment trials is an extension of the insurrection and an act of plotting a second one,” Mr. Park said.

A joint investigative team including police and the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials has made a second attempt to call Mr. Yoon in for questioning on Dec. 25, though it was unclear whether he would appear.

Woo Jong-soo, Investigation Chief of the National Police Agency, told Parliament on Monday (December 23, 2024) that police had tried to raid Mr. Yoon’s office twice. Still, the presidential security service denied their entry. Mr. Woo said his team sent a request to preserve evidence, including a secure phone server.