A new twist amid the ongoing political turmoil that has long dominated the news in South Korea: on Monday, the Constitutional Court overturned the political trial of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who will be reinstated as the interim president of the Asian country while the same judges decide whether to validate the impeachment that ousted Yoon Suk Yeol, the leader who imposed a brief martial law last December, currently suspended.
Han, a 75-year-old veteran technocrat, replaced Yoon but lasted only two weeks as interim president. On December 27, he was suspended by the Parliament, led by the opposition, accusing him of refusing to appoint three new judges to the same nine-member tribunal that was supposed to investigate the impeachment voted by lawmakers against the besieged Yoon.
In these recent months of instability in Seoul, Finance Minister Han Duck-soo has been the political figure leading a polarized country shaken by large protests. Supporters from both sides have marched almost daily through the streets of the capital. Many demonstrations have been held in support of President Yoon, who was released in early March, awaiting the Constitutional Court's verdict, from the detention center where he had been held since January.
Despite the shadows surrounding his figure due to a possible involvement in the declaration of martial law that briefly returned South Korea to the authoritarian regime it left behind in 1987, Han is back at the helm of the military, diplomacy, and major state affairs. "I thank the Constitutional Court for its wise decision," Han declared after the ruling. "I will work to restore order in the government." The Constitutional Court judges argued mostly that there were not enough reasons to dismiss Han since he "did not violate the South Korean constitution or laws regarding the announcement of martial law or possible insurrection."
The new interim leader has served as prime minister in two different governments of the conservative People Power Party (PPP), the last time when Yoon narrowly won the 2022 elections. Last year, after a resounding defeat of the PPP in the legislative elections, Han offered his resignation, which the president did not accept.
Han's supporters highlight that, despite his marked conservative profile, he is a non-partisan politician who has been working with presidents from different political backgrounds for decades. He worked for many years in the Ministry of Trade before making the leap to frontline politics as Minister of Trade and presidential secretary. He also had a diplomatic career as an ambassador to the United States and the OECD. During his time in Washington during the Obama administration, he was key in the Free Trade Agreement signed by both countries.
Following Han's case resolution, South Koreans are eager to know the anticipated ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon (the verdict date is still unknown), who also faces a criminal trial for leading an insurrection by ordering troops to the National Assembly (Parliament) to detain opposition lawmakers dominated by the Democratic Party.
The leader of this progressive party, Lee Jae-myung, is the frontrunner in the upcoming presidential elections that would be held within 60 days if the Constitutional Court supports Yoon's dismissal. However, Lee also faces another trial after a conviction for violating electoral laws. This Wednesday, an appeals court will pronounce its verdict on Lee's guilt, which could disqualify him from being a candidate in the next elections.