The Impeachment Tango: South Korea in Limbo as Court Reinstates Leader

South Korea’s constitutional court on Monday reinstated Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president, overturning his December impeachment as the country braces for more court rulings and continued public unrest, the Washington Post reported.

The court struck down the impeachment motion against Han in a 5-1 decision, with two of the court’s eight justices rejecting the motion entirely. The lawmakers in the opposition-controlled parliament impeached Han on Dec. 27 over his alleged role in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law earlier that month – a decree that was revoked hours after it was issued.

Han assumed the role of acting president after parliament impeached Yoon on Dec. 14.

The prime minister has denied involvement, claiming that Yoon informed him of the plan less than two hours before it was issued and that he opposed it.

Following Han’s impeachment, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok briefly served as acting president and filled two vacancies on the constitutional court – appointments that became a point of contention among lawmakers, noted CNBC.

On Friday, opposition legislators submitted a motion to impeach Choi, but the effort was overtaken by the court’s ruling to reinstate Han.

Since December, South Korea has been paralyzed by a political crisis that has polarized the country and fueled daily protests, with rival demonstrations swelling over the weekend.

The crisis comes as Seoul is also navigating global tensions and economic uncertainty following threats by the Trump administration to impose tariffs and reduce military support to the United States’ allies.

Monday’s verdict comes ahead of an upcoming ruling by South Korea’s supreme court on Lee Jae-myung of the main opposition Democratic Party. Lee – who ran against Yoon in the 2022 presidential elections – was found guilty in November of violating election laws.

Some analysts expressed concern over these back-to-back efforts to impeach the country’s top leaders during a critical period. They warned that such moves could set a dangerous precedent in which parties abuse impeachment proceedings to target political opponents and paralyze the opposition.

On Monday, the presidential office welcomed the constitutional court’s decision, while accusing the opposition of abusing impeachment powers. However, Han urged “bipartisan efforts so that South Korea can overcome the current crisis and move forward and upward.”

Even so, South Korea remains in political limbo as the constitutional court has yet to rule on Yoon’s impeachment. The court has until June to issue a decision. If Yoon is removed, Han will remain as acting president until a new election is held within 60 days.

Police are preparing for possible unrest on the day of the Yoon ruling, and schools near the court are set to close.