
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said Friday that the looming impeachment of acting President Han Duck-soo would deal a serious blow to the country, calling the opposition-controlled National Assembly's attempt to do so an "impeachment of the entire Cabinet."
"If a motion to impeach (Han) passes the parliament, the current administration will suffer a chilling effect in the face of the impeachment threat, and ultimately, Cabinet members will have no reason to exist," Choi said in a two-minute briefing after Choi presided over a meeting with Cabinet members at the Government Complex Seoul on Friday.
The power vacuum against the backdrop of the looming international trade war "could deal a serious blow to South Korea to dampen its creditworthiness, national security, domestic economy and sustainability of the state affairs, as seen in the sharply weakening South Korean won against the dollar," he also said.
The dollar was trading at 1,480 won just after the briefing.
Choi is the next Cabinet member in the presidential line of succession following Han, who doubles as the Prime Minister of South Korea.
Choi, who attended the press conference with other ministers at the closed-door Cabinet meeting, asked the opposition-controlled parliament to "reconsider Han's impeachment."
Han has served as an acting president in the wake of President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment on Dec. 14.
If Han gets impeached as well at Friday's vote, Choi will serve as both the acting president and the acting prime minister as soon as Han receives the National Assembly resolution.