
South Korea’s parliament voted Friday to impeach acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had been filling in for President Yoon Suk Yeol since he was impeached on Dec. 14.
This is the latest development in an unprecedented political crisis that has unfolded in South Korea this month, stemming from the now-suspended Yoon’s botched attempt to invoke military rule on Dec. 3.
Here’s what you need to know to catch up with what’s going on in South Korean politics.
• South Korean politics have been chaotic since the now-suspended Yoon imposed martial law on Dec. 3, only to see it reversed by the opposition-controlled parliament six hours later. Yoon’s fate as president now depends on the Constitutional Court, which on Friday held its first hearing of the presidential impeachment trial.
• Friday’s impeachment of acting President Han stems from a standoff between him and the main opposition party over three vacancies at this very court. Han has said he would not appoint three justices nominated by the opposition-controlled parliament.
• To confirm Yoon’s removal from office, the top court requires the consent of six out of its nine justices, but only six are currently serving, meaning that a unanimous decision is effectively required. Whether or not to fill the vacant seats on the justice bench has thus become the primary point of political strife.
• It remains unclear whether acting President Han has been officially impeached, despite the parliamentary vote. The ruling party, which opposed the opposition-led move, is mounting a legal challenge to question the vote’s validity and its implications. If his impeachment is upheld, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will step in as interim leader.
• The opposition Democratic Party of Korea controls a clear majority of seats in the country’s legislature, which it says is enough to impeach any Cabinet member who is next in line for the acting president role.
• If President Yoon’s removal is confirmed by court, there will be a presidential election within 60 days. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung is currently leading in polls by a large margin.