The Constitutional Court of South Korea has dismissed the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating him as the country’s acting president.
Han had stepped into the role in December after lawmakers impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for his attempt to impose martial law.
However, his time in office was brief just two weeks before parliament also voted for his removal. Since then, the country has been under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok.
South Korea has been engulfed in political turmoil since Yoon’s failed martial law attempt.
Han’s impeachment was partly triggered by his decision to block the appointment of new judges to the Constitutional Court, a move that the opposition believed would have bolstered the impeachment case against Yoon. In response, lawmakers moved swiftly to oust Han.
On Monday, the court ruled in a seven-to-one decision to overturn Han’s impeachment. In reaction to the verdict, Han expressed appreciation for the judiciary’s decision and pledged to restore order in government.
The political uncertainty is far from over, as South Korea now awaits the court’s ruling on President Yoon’s impeachment.
While parliament voted to remove him from office on December 14, the decision will only be final if the Constitutional Court upholds it.
If the court dismisses the impeachment, Yoon will immediately reclaim his position.
A date for the final ruling has yet to be announced, but tensions are escalating in Seoul.
Massive protests have erupted, with both Yoon’s supporters and opponents taking to the streets in large numbers, signalling a deepening divide in the country’s political landscape.