On his return to office, Han Duck-soo needs to tackle a host of national issues
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo returned to office as acting president on Monday after the Constitutional Court dismissed his impeachment, a closely-watched ruling for its impact on state affairs of South Korea that has been mired in political turmoil, economic obstacles and social division.
The Constitutional Court’s ruling on Han drew keen attention as it could offer a clue over the court’s forthcoming verdict on the impeachment case of President Yoon Suk Yeol in connection with his short-lived imposition of martial law that plunged the nation into its biggest political crisis in decades.
The National Assembly led by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea passed an impeachment motion against Prime Minister Han on Dec. 27, accusing him of being an “accomplice” to Yoon’s martial law decree on Dec. 3 and giving other reasons related to a special prosecutor investigation into first lady Kim Keon Hee and the appointment of three Constitutional Court justices.
The Constitutional Court’s verdict on Monday reinstated Han as acting president, with five justices voting to dismiss the impeachment motion and one voting to uphold it. The remaining two justices voted to reject the motion entirely.
Han’s return to office could help restore political stability, but since there are so many tricky issues facing the nation, including the massive wildfires, the return of medical school students and economic slowdown, he needs all the help he can get.
Political turmoil is expected to continue until — or even after — the Constitutional Court puts out its decision on the fate of the impeached Yoon. The Democratic Party expressed regret Monday over the court’s verdict on Han, urging him to appoint Ma Eun-hyuk, the opposition-recommended Constitutional Court justice candidate, ahead of Yoon’s ruling.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who served as acting president after Han was impeached, appointed two justices to the Constitutional Court and refused to appoint Ma, citing the need for bipartisan consensus.
The political conflict over Ma’s appointment is likely to intensify as the nine-member Constitutional Court needs the agreement of at least six justices to uphold Yoon’s impeachment.
Despite the limitations on him as acting president, Han cannot afford to ignore the broader challenge of national unity. In a public address, he acknowledged as much, remarking, “The vast majority of Koreans I have served for nearly 50 years did not wish to see the country veer too far left or right. A society torn to extremes can only lead to misery, fulfilling no one’s aspirations.”
On top of political clashes and social divides, Han has to deal with a global trade war triggered by US President Donald Trump. It is regrettable that Han, an expert on trade, has been sidelined for nearly three months due to the impeachment in the face of Trump’s escalating tariff threats — a painful state of affairs for a country in urgent need of skilled trade leadership.
Han’s role in diplomacy and trade is critical. Washington has already imposed a 25 percent tariff on South Korean steel and aluminum and is set to introduce supposedly “reciprocal” duties on April 2.
With its substantial trade surplus with the US, South Korea is very likely to be among the primary targets of Trump’s hostile trade policy. The stakes could hardly be higher as the viability of the South Korea-US free trade agreement could be at risk.
Equally critical is Han’s role in connection with the Constitutional Court’s upcoming decision on Yoon’s impeachment. Should the court decide in favor of his removal, the political landscape will shift into presidential election mode. In this case, Han would face the dual challenge of navigating trade headwinds while ensuring the fair administration of the electoral process. With South Korea’s future hanging in the balance, his ability to steer the nation forward must not be once again hindered by wasteful political maneuvering.
