South Korea's main opposition party said it would introduce a bill to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo on Thursday and hold a vote on Friday, a move that could deepen the country's constitutional crisis sparked by short-lived martial law.
The opposition Democratic Party threatened to impeach Han if he did not immediately appoint three judges to fill vacancies on the Constitutional Court. Parliament voted in favor of three nominees on Thursday, but Han has not yet been formally appointed.
The court is examining the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol in connection with his declaration of martial law on December 3.
“It has become clear that Prime Minister and Acting President Han Duck-soo does not have the qualifications or will to uphold the constitution,” Democratic Party leader Park Chan-dae said in a statement.
The proposal was tabled in parliament on Thursday and must be voted on within 24-72 hours. He cited a number of Han's actions as grounds for impeachment, including his veto of a special prosecutor's office bill to investigate the first lady's alleged wrongdoing.
If Han is impeached, the finance minister will become acting president. The Democratic Party has a majority in parliament, but there is disagreement between the parties and some constitutional experts on whether a simple majority or a two-thirds vote is needed to impeach the acting president.
The first court hearing in Yoon's case is on Friday
Han said earlier on Thursday that he would not appoint judges until political parties reach an agreement on nominations because, for him, doing so without political consensus would harm the constitutional order.
Two of the Constitutional Court candidates approved on Thursday were nominated by the Democratic Party and one by the ruling Han People's Power Party. The ruling party opposed this division of candidates, claiming that it had not agreed to it.
South Korea's parliament voted Saturday to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived martial law decree. It was a historic rebuke that was welcomed by jubilant crowds who described the result as another defiant moment in the nation's path to a vibrant democracy.
Han was under pressure to make the nomination, but political parties disagreed on whether he had the authority to do so as acting president.
The court will hold its first hearing on Friday to decide whether to remove Yoon or reinstate him.
Under the constitution, six judges must agree to remove an impeached president from office, which means the current judges must vote unanimously to remove Yoon. The court stated that it could deliberate without the full nine-member panel.
Repeated opposition
Yoon, who was impeached by parliament on December 14 in a vote joined by some members of his center-right party, had not produced legal documents as requested by the court by Thursday, court spokesman Lee Jean said at a news conference.
On Wednesday, he did not respond to the last summons for questioning in separate criminal proceedings. On Thursday, investigators sent another summons for him to appear on December 29.
Yoon's repeated defiance has sparked criticism and opposition calls for his arrest.
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Earlier on Thursday, lawyers for former Defense Minister Yoon, who is under investigation on insurgency charges following the declaration of martial law, said it was intended to raise alarm over abuse of the democratic process by opposition parties.
Kim Yong-hyun was the first in a string of officials arrested and will likely be the first to be indicted on charges of playing a leading role in President Yoon Suk Yeol's surprise declaration of martial law on December 3.