South Korea’s parliament voted on Friday afternoon - December 27 - to impeach acting President Han Duck-soo just weeks after lawmakers successfully ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The impeachment motion passed with 192 votes, easily surpassing the 151 needed.

Han had stepped in as acting president after Yoon’s impeachment earlier this month, following his failed attempt to impose martial law on December 3.

However, opposition Democratic Party Korea (DPK) lawmakers accused him of obstructing efforts to finalise Yoon’s removal.

Tensions peak in parliament

During the impeachment process, the parliamentary session descended into chaos as lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) protested against National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik’s decision to lower the impeachment threshold to 151 votes according to the BBC in Seoul. The move meant the opposition could pass the motion without support from ruling party members.

As a result, most PPP lawmakers present boycotted the vote. The opposition’s impeachment motion, filed a day earlier, cited Han’s refusal to approve three judges nominated by parliament to oversee Yoon’s impeachment case.

South Korea’s Constitutional Court, which requires a six-judge majority to uphold Yoon’s impeachment, currently has only six sitting judges. A single dissent would thus allow Yoon to retain his position, prompting the opposition to push for the additional appointments.

Fallout and next steps

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is now expected to assume the role of acting president. However, Han’s removal is likely to exacerbate the political deadlock gripping the country.

The opposition sees Han’s impeachment as critical to resolving the leadership crisis, but the move raises fresh questions about the government’s ability to function amid intensifying partisan conflict.

The Constitutional Court’s eventual decision on Yoon’s impeachment will determine the next chapter in South Korea’s unfolding political drama.