South Korean court reinstates Prime Minister Han Duck-soo

Mr. Han was previously appointed as interim president after President Yoon Suk-yeol was impeached in December 2024 for his decision to briefly declare martial law. Mr. Han Duck-soo immediately returned to the leadership position after the court's ruling.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (center). Photo: X/ChinaDaily

"I am very grateful for the Constitutional Court's wise decision," Han said after the hearing, expressing his appreciation for the efforts of cabinet members during his suspension.

"We will jointly prepare and deploy measures to respond to global changes, ensuring that Korea continues to thrive during a period of great geopolitical transition," Han said in a televised statement.

President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of martial law on December 3, 2024, has plunged South Korea – Asia's fourth-largest economy and a key US ally – into its most serious political crisis in decades.

The event triggered a series of impeachments, resignations and criminal investigations against many high-ranking officials, plunging South Korean politics into chaos.

Han Duck-soo initially served as interim president for less than two weeks before being impeached by the opposition-controlled National Assembly on December 27, 2024, after he refused to appoint three additional judges to the Constitutional Court as requested by the National Assembly.

On March 24, 2025, the Constitutional Court voted 7-1 to reject the impeachment of Mr. Han. Five of the eight judges agreed that the impeachment was valid, but said that Mr. Han had not violated the constitution or the law, so there was no basis for his removal from office.

Two judges ruled that the impeachment of Mr. Han was invalid from the start, as it did not receive the required two-thirds majority in the National Assembly. One judge voted to remove Mr. Han from office.

At 75, Mr. Han Duck-soo is a veteran politician who has held many important leadership positions under five presidents, both conservative and liberal.

During Mr. Han's suspension, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has been acting president while the Constitutional Court considers the impeachment cases of both Mr. Han and President Yoon.

The Constitutional Court is expected to issue a ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol in the coming days. He also faces a separate criminal trial, accused of "leading an uprising" by ordering the imposition of martial law.

If President Yoon is removed from office, South Korea will hold a new presidential election within 60 days.

Cao Phong (according to Yonhap, Reuters)