South Korea’s Constitutional Court dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday, reinstating him as acting president amid ongoing political turmoil following suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol’s brief martial law declaration.
In a 5-1 vote, with two justices rejecting the motion entirely, the court ruled that while Han had violated the Constitution by delaying judicial appointments, his actions did not warrant removal. The justices also found no evidence that he actively legitimized Yoon’s martial law decision.
The ruling clarified that the impeachment quorum for a prime minister is 151 out of 300 lawmakers, not 200 as required for a president.
Han returned to his office immediately after the verdict. “I thank the Constitutional Court for its wise decision,” he said. “I will start by dealing with urgent issues first.”