Prime Minister Han Duck-soo returns to office, as Court dismisses impeachment

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Mar 242025

헌재, 오늘 한덕수 국무총리 탄핵 기각 즉시 업무 복귀 예상 Now, we've just heard the Constitutional Court has decided to dismiss Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's impeachment. Let's connect right away to our correspondent there. Q1. Soo-young fill us in on the verdict Han will be returning to office right? Yes, Dami. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will resume his duties immediately as his impeachment has just been dismissed by the Constitutional Court. The eight-member bench ruled against the National Assembly's motion last December to remove Han from office, thereby ending Han's suspension from his position as prime minister as well as the acting presidency. The Assembly set out five grounds for impeaching Han which included abetting President Yoon Suk Yeol’s December 3rd Martial Law, vetoing controversial bills pushed through by the opposition, and, most of all, refusing to appoint three Constitutional Court justices recommended by the National Assembly. As the charges were highly political, and the motion vote was pushed through by the opposition party's simple majority in the Assembly, critics have argued that the two-thirds majority threshold for a President should have applied. The justices are now explaining their judgment in detail on each charge, as well as presenting various differences of opinion. But the fact of the matter is that they collectively agree Han should not be removed from power. Out of the 13 impeachment cases recently pushed through by the National Assembly, the Court has ruled on 8 and dismissed all of them. Q2. So he will return to his office in Gwanghwamun straight away? That seems to be the case. The Prime Minister’s Office has reportedly drafted a scenario for Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's reinstatement, and expects him to return to his duties right away. He's likely to be briefed by Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok who has been filling in as acting president during Han's suspension. Han may also convene with Cabinet members as well as the National Security Council to address urgent matters, particularly in trade, and diplomacy. His office has been coordinating a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Joseph Yun. Observers expect Han to deliver a speech to the nation, emphasizing his commitment to stabilizing governance. Q3. Now this verdict was delivered before President Yoon’s impeachment ruling, the date of which is still unknown. That's right. The Court still has not revealed when it will rule on President Yoon's impeachment, taking at least two weeks longer than expected. It's impossible at this point to know at what stage the justices are at, and whether they are united or divided in their opinions. Most pundits expect a ruling this Thursday or Friday which means the Court would give an advance notice tomorrow or Wednesday. But in the meantime, observers say the ruling on Prime Minister Han’s case could provide an early indication of how the Constitutional Court is reviewing President Yoon’s impeachment, especially when it comes to the legality of the martial law declaration. Some legal experts believe that because the court dismissed Han’s impeachment, it might signal a similar outcome for President Yoon’s case especially since some of the allegations overlap. However, others caution that the president’s case carries far greater political weight, and the justices may not necessarily apply the same legal reasoning. For now, Han’s return to office marks a critical turning point, but with President Yoon’s fate still undecided, the nation’s political uncertainty is far from over. Alright, we will continue to follow this story throughout the day. Thanks for your report, Sooyoung. #ConstitutionalCourt #impeachment_trial #HanDucksoo #judicial_decision #한덕수 #헌법재판소 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : / arirangtvnews 📣 Twitter : / arirangtvnews 📣 Homepage : https://arirang.com/ 2025-03-24, 10:00 (KST)