On September 27 (Korean Standard Time), South Korea’s National Assembly passed the impeachment motion against Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, marking the first time in the nation’s constitutional history that an acting president has been impeached while in office.

The impeachment motion, spearheaded by the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and other opposition parties, passed with 192 votes in favor out of 192 participating lawmakers in the 300-member assembly. The motion required a simple majority of 151 votes. All opposition lawmakers and one member from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), Cho Kyung-tae, participated in the vote, while the rest of the PPP lawmakers boycotted the proceedings.

Historic Impeachment Decision
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik clarified that the voting threshold for impeaching the acting president was the same as that for impeaching a prime minister—a simple majority of seated members—rather than the two-thirds majority required for a presidential impeachment. He stated, "The impeachment motion seeks the removal of the acting president, who is exercising presidential authority as prime minister."

Following the vote, Han Duck-soo's duties were suspended at 5:19 PM, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok assumed the role of acting president. Han expressed his respect for the Assembly’s decision and stated, "I will await the Constitutional Court's prompt and wise ruling in accordance with the law."

Grounds for Impeachment
The impeachment motion against Han cited five reasons:

Failing to act on the "Kim Kun-hee Special Prosecutor Act" and "Chae Hae-byeong Special Prosecutor Act."
Alleged complicity or inaction in relation to martial law plans.
Oversight of a joint governance system involving Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon.
Avoiding the appointment of a special prosecutor for insurrection.
Refusal to appoint Constitutional Court justices as acting president.
The Constitutional Court is required to decide on the validity of the impeachment within 180 days.

Legal and Political Controversy
The ruling PPP has declared the impeachment vote invalid, arguing that the motion required a two-thirds majority. They filed a request with the Constitutional Court for a "judgment of authority dispute" and a suspension of the motion’s effect.

Meanwhile, DPK leaders argue that the interim acting president, Choi Sang-mok, must appoint Constitutional Court justices immediately to address public demands.

Kim Min-seok, a senior official of the DPK, stated, "Choi Sang-mok must act decisively to meet the expectations of the people."

The unprecedented impeachment of an acting president has sparked a legal and political battle, with both sides preparing for a prolonged dispute over its legitimacy.