South Korean Court Dismisses PM Han Duck-soo's Impeachment Over Martial Law

South Korea's Constitutional Court struck down the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday, reinstating him as acting president -- a role he was given after the president was suspended for declaring martial law last year. Mr Han was impeached by lawmakers in December, just weeks after he took over as acting leader from President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was himself impeached over his short-lived suspension of civilian legal process.

Mr Han's impeachment was dismissed in a 7-1 vote by the court's eight justices. Two justices voted to reject the impeachment motion entirely, according to news agency Yonhap.

Prime Minister Han lasted less than two weeks in the post and was impeached and suspended on December 27 after clashing with the opposition-led parliament by refusing to appoint three more justices to the Constitutional Court.

Parliament impeached him over his alleged role in martial law, as well as his refusal to appoint more justices and back special counsel bills targetting Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok assumed the position of acting president while the cases of Mr Yoon and Mr Han were considered by the Constitutional Court.

About Han Duck-soo

Mr Han, 75, had served in leadership positions for more than three decades under five presidents, both conservative and liberal. In a country sharply divided by partisan rhetoric, he had been seen as a rare example of an official whose varied career transcended party lines.

Still, the opposition-led parliament accused him of not doing enough to thwart Yoon's decision to declare martial law, an accusation he denied.

Mr Han attended the only hearing in the case on February 19, where he denied any role in the martial law episode and called for the court to dismiss the impeachment.

Martial Law In South Korea

The unexpected imposition of martial law on December 3 by President Yoon and the ensuing political upheaval sent shockwaves through Asia's fourth-largest economy and drew concerns from allies such as the United States who had seen Yoon as a key partner in efforts to counter China and North Korea.

The martial law in the end only lasted about six hours after lawmakers voted to reject the declaration, after defying efforts by police and the military to seal off parliament, hopping fences to avoid the security cordons.