National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik (center, top) is seen surrounded by People Power Party lawmakers protesting his announcement that 151 votes are a minimum threshold for acting president Han Duck-soo's impeachment, at a main chamber of the National Assembly on Friday, (Yonhap)
National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik (center, top) is seen surrounded by People Power Party lawmakers protesting his announcement that 151 votes are a minimum threshold for acting president Han Duck-soo's impeachment, at a main chamber of the National Assembly on Friday, (Yonhap)

National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik announced Friday that the legislature requires 151 votes in favor to pass a motion to impeach acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

During a plenary session, Woo told lawmakers that Han should be regarded as a member of the South Korean Cabinet instead of a president, and thereby requires a majority of votes at the 300-member National Assembly. The speaker's announcement prompted ruling People Power Party lawmakers' protest in the National Assembly's main chamber.

The impeachment threshold for the acting president has been a point of contention. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, which has 170 out of 300 parliamentary seats, claimed that the Assembly could impeach Han with 151 votes given that the acting president is not an elected figure, whereas the ruling People Power Party claimed that at least 200 votes are required to impeach Han, because the acting president was tasked with presidential duties.

No Constitutional Court precedents exist over the threshold for an acting president's impeachment. But Woo, elected as the Democratic Party lawmaker in April, argued that he is the decision-maker over the impeachment threshold.

National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik (Yonhap)
National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik (Yonhap)

Earlier on Friday, People Power Party Floor Leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong said all 108 lawmakers would boycott the impeachment vote in a show of protest if Woo confirms the 151-vote threshold. He added that all party members would vote if the speaker sets the threshold at 200, as it could strike down the opposition parties' impeachment attempt.

Han has served as the acting president since Yoon was impeached by the National Assembly on Dec. 14. A trial has begun on the validity of Yoon's impeachment at the Constitutional Court on Friday.