South Korean lawmakers have filed a motion to impeach the country’s prime minister and acting leader Han Duck-soo, less than two weeks after parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.
This comes after Han refused to appoint judges to the constitutional courts appointed by the opposition Democratic Party (DP).
“Han has revealed himself to be the deputy of the coup, not the deputy of the president,” said DP leader Park Chan-dae on Thursday.
The opposition also accused Han of helping Yoon in the December 3 military coup. Han previously apologized for failing to stop it.
Han also vetoed several opposition-led bills, including one that proposed a special investigation into Yoon’s declaration of temporary martial law.
The motion for a mistrial is expected to be voted on in the next 24 to 72 hours.
For it to pass, 151 out of 300 members of Parliament must vote for it.
The DP currently has 170 seats out of 300 in parliament. The opposition has a combined 192 seats.
The opposition parties hoped that Han would not stand in their way during his tenure as the country’s president, and that he would allow the bill to be passed.
But instead he held firm, deepening the political conflict.
On Tuesday, Han held a cabinet meeting without reviewing two opposition-sponsored bills calling for a special counsel investigation into the martial law declaration and corruption allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee.
He said he is not putting himself down to give the ruling party and the opposition parties more time to reach an agreement.
But DP’s floor leader Park Chan-dae criticized him for “buying time and prolonging the rebellion”.
“We have clearly warned that it is all up to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo that he will go down in history as a disgraced person, as a puppet of the leader of the rebellion plot Yoon Suk Yeol, or a public servant who faithfully carries out the plan. Public orders,” Park said at a televised party meeting.
On Thursday, Han said he would not appoint three judges the opposition-dominated National Assembly has nominated to the constitutional court – which is debating whether Yoon should be removed from office – unless the opposing parties reach an agreement.
In this regard, Park said that “it has become clear that Han Duck-soo is unfit and unwilling to defend the constitution”, adding that the opposition will “immediately introduce” a bill of impeachment.
Han’s ruling People Power Party said the opposition’s threats had interfered with Han’s “legitimate exercise of power”, while a senior official in the prime minister’s office condemned the threats as “deeply regrettable”.
Han stepped in as interim president after Yoon was ousted earlier this month. If lawmakers vote to remove Han, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok will be next in line.
The latest incident in the country’s political upheaval comes as Seoul’s Constitutional Court debates whether Yoon should be permanently barred from office.
The court is expected to hold its first public hearing later this week.
It is not yet clear whether Yoon himself will take up the issue, but the protesters have vowed to continue their demand for Yoon’s release during the trial.
Yoon is also being investigated for treason for his failed attempts to place the country under martial law.
He has refused to accept multiple subpoenas served on him, and investigators have warned they could issue an arrest warrant if he continues to not respond.
Several officials – including former defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, former interior minister Lee Sang-min and army chief Park An-su – are also being investigated.
Additional reporting by Jake Kwon and Hosu Lee in Seoul
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