South Korea parliament impeaches acting President Han Duck-soo

South Korea’s parliament has impeached acting President Han Duck-soo over a short-lived martial law today.

The short-lived martial law had plunged the country deeper into political chaos, as the Constitutional Court said it would swiftly trial suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Han’s impeachment, who has been acting president since Yoon was impeached on December 14 after he declared martial law on December 3, has thrown the country once-vibrant democratic success story into uncharted territory.

The motion led by opposition parties had passed with 192 of the 300 votes. Rowdy scenes were witnessed of the ruling People Power Party members who surrounded the speaker’s podium and chanted the vote was invalid and parliament had committed tyranny.

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, ahead of the parliamentary session, said his Democratic Party will go ahead with the plan to impeach the acting president, accusing Han of “acting for insurrection”.

Lee said in a fiery speech that the only way to normalise the country is to swiftly root out all the insurrection forces. He added the party was acting on the public order to eradicate those who have put South Korea at risk.

According to opinion polls conducted after his martial law attempt, there has been overwhelming public support for Yoon’s removal.

The main opposition Democratic Party planned for a vote to impeach Han on Thursday after he declined to immediately appoint three justices to fill vacancies at the Constitutional Court.