Opinion - Unending Cycle of Political Impeachment in South Korea: Heading towards a Constitutional Crisis?

UPDATED: Jan 6, 2025 14:14 IST

On December 14, 2024, South Korea’s Assembly impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for his decision to impose Martial Law, resulting in chaos in society and market speculation. Following the incident, Han Duck-soo, the then Prime Minister (PM), became the acting president, taking responsibility for running the government. However, his brief stint also ended with the impeachment on 27 December 2024 by the Assembly, with the bill passing with 192 out of 300 voting in the favour. Following his removal, Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, is slated to become the acting President, the third in command in the current administration. However, with each cycle of political impeachments, the country is being pushed into a state of constitutional crisis, which has profound implications for its economic and security situation.

In a State of Perpetual Constitutional Crisis

The opposition accused PM Han Duck-soo of blocking the appointment of three Constitutional Court judges needed for Former President Yoon’s impeachment case. This decision was made because the opposition leaders saw his actions as violating the Constitution and the pursuit of justice. More details that emerged with the investigation have highlighted the seriousness and the real intention behind the declaration of martial law. Following the investigations, Lee Jae-myung, the head of the democratic party, has called for the elimination of ‘rebellion forces’ linked with the martial law episode, including the PM. Asking for political accountability, Lee said, ‘[w]e will mobilize all resources and fulfill our historical responsibility until Yoon Suk Yeol is removed from office, his loyalist forces are eradicated, and the rebellion is fully suppressed.’ Lee also accused the PM of three separate issues: his alleged role in martial law, his veto of the probe bills, and brokering an agreement with party leader Han Dong-hoon after Yoon’s impeachment. While much of this signals the opposition’s frustration with the prime minister's handling of the crisis after Yoon’s ouster, it also reiterates the unseriousness with which the ruling party has handled the issue. After this second impeachment, the case will go through the constitutional court hearing, which will have to decide in 180 days on the validity of the proceeding. The trials for former President Yoon have already started in the constitutional court.

Besides the accusations of political opportunism and undemocratic attitude from both sides, the impeachment proceeding has also generated controversies regarding the number of votes required for the Prime Minister’s impeachment. The ruling party has argued that as the acting president, impeachment requires two-thirds of the majority for the bill to pass, while the opposition contests that it only requires a simple majority of 151 votes to pass through, as in the case of a cabinet minister.

Apart from the controversy surrounding the number of votes, the whole episode also highlighted another issue: intra-party friction in the ruling dispensation. After the resignation of Han Dong-hoon, the PPP's former head, a strong leader who opposed Yoon’s action, the party is now headed by Kweon Seong-dong, PPP acting leader—a close aide and part of the Pro-Yoon faction. Unlike his predecessor, who has publicly condemned Yoon’s action, Kweon is trying to ‘present a united front’ in the face of political adversity and vowing to continue the strife by delaying the appointment of the judges. This coincides with a strong opposition backed by public support, prepared to fight until the end. Hence, the hardening position on both sides has further complicated the situation for lawmakers and ministers, leading to a political standstill.

Stopgap Political Arrangement

While Choi Sang-mok, the second acting president's job going forward, will not be an easy task, as demonstrated by the Prime Minister impeachment, it indeed sends a positive message of stability amidst the turmoil, which is critical for the functioning of the government. His nonpartisan background and role as an economic bureaucrat are suitable for the country's financial stability and foreign relations. During his media address, he emphasised the immediate focus of his government. He said, ‘[m]inimizing the chaos in state affairs is the most urgent task right now. The government will put all of its efforts into maintaining robust security, a stable economy, and law and order so that the safety of the nation and people's daily lives are not disrupted.’ Even though his statement induces a sense of confidence, the reality is quite stark. The ruling party, PPP, does not enjoy the majority in the national assembly or the public's trust. Therefore, in the backdrop of the latest events, even though the executive control remains with the president, the head of the executive’s political future is decided by the opposition-dominated national assembly, making the top position a lame-duck presidency. Apart from this, the acting president will again see a special counsel bill on the first lady, a point of contention with the opposition that led to Han’s impeachment. Hence, while the key to political stability in South Korea lies with both sides, each side is expected to continue to hold its position without compromise.

Nonetheless, if the tug of war continues, we will again see the repetition of the same process. Suppose the political cycle of impeachments lasts, as hinted by the opposition. In that case, a line of ministers will take his position, including Lee Ju-ho, Yoo Sang-im, and Cho Tae-yul. But this time, the implications for the country will be profound, with a greater risk of a second economic shock that will be more severe than the first hit. Besides, the current attempt at appointing judges also risks political interference in judicial appointments, breaking from earlier precedence. Amidst their political strife, however, the opposition and the ruling seem to forget that the standoff is coming on the heels of the second Trump administration, which is ready with a laundry list of complaints. If anything is to go by, the absence of political leadership at a crucial time does not serve either the interest of the ruling party or the opposition, particularly considering the security and economic environment that South Korea finds itself in.

(Abhishek Sharma is a Research Assistant at Observer Research Foundation, He tweets at @AVIRAL96)

(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)

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