South Korea's National Assembly voted to impeach Yoon Suk-yeol. (Source: Sunday Times)
After the South Korean National Assembly passed the impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol, Prime Minister Han Duk-soo temporarily assumed presidential powers.
While South Korean politics is deeply divided by party lines, Mr. Han is considered a rare official whose career extends beyond party boundaries.
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.
In the immediate future, Mr. Han will face the challenging task of keeping the government functioning during a political crisis, while also dealing with foreign issues such as relations with North Korea, and a faltering economy.
His acting presidency could also be threatened by criminal investigations into his role in the decision to impose martial law.
Mr. Han Duk-soo, 75, has held various positions for more than three decades under five different South Korean presidents, both conservative and liberal.
His roles include Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States, Minister of Finance, Minister of Trade, Presidential Secretary for Policy Coordination, Prime Minister, Ambassador to the OECD, and head of numerous research groups and organizations.
With a PhD in economics from Harvard, Mr. Han's expertise in economics, trade, diplomacy, and his reputation for reasonableness, moderate demeanor, and hard work have made him a frequent fixture in South Korean politics.
“He takes on important positions solely through recognition of his skills and expertise, without any connection to political factions,” Mr. Yoon said when appointing Mr. Han in 2022. Previous administrations described Han that way when appointing him to important positions.
Mr Han's leadership role is expected to last for months until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove Mr Yoon.
The opposition Democratic Party had filed a complaint earlier, seeking to have Han investigated for failing to stop Yoon's attempt to impose martial law. If parliament decides to impeach Han, the finance minister would be next in line for the role of acting president.
The South Korean Constitution does not specify how much power the prime minister has in exercising his leadership role. Most experts believe that the prime minister should only exercise limited power to prevent the state from being paralyzed. However, some also believe that he can exercise all the powers of the president because the Constitution does not place any restrictions on him.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/ong-han-duk-soo-nguoi-tam-thoi-thay-tong-thong-han-quoc-yoon-la-ai-ar913679.html
Comment (0)