On Friday, South Korea's parliament impeached acting President Han Duck-Soo, deepening the political crisis that began after President Yoon Suk Yeol's powers were suspended for attempting to declare martial law. This event follows Yoon's impeachment on December 14, which was triggered by his controversial martial law declaration on December 3. The impeachment of Han, who had taken over as acting president following Yoon's suspension, marks a significant moment in South Korea's democratic history.

After the impeachment vote, Han expressed his disappointment but accepted the outcome. He stated that he respected parliament's decision and would suspend his duties to prevent further chaos, awaiting a review by the Constitutional Court. The ruling People Power Party opposed the impeachment, arguing that it was unconstitutional, and filed a petition to challenge it.

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has now assumed the role of acting president, following the legal line of succession. He is set to engage with military and government leaders. The opposition parties led the impeachment motion, which passed with 192 votes in favor, despite strong opposition from the People Power Party, who called the vote invalid and accused parliament of "tyranny."

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung criticized Han for allegedly supporting insurrection, while public opinion polls showed strong support for Yoon’s removal after his martial law attempt. The move to impeach Han followed his refusal to appoint three justices to the Constitutional Court. The vote was passed by a simple majority, rather than the two-thirds required for a presidential impeachment.

As South Korea faces ongoing political turmoil, concerns have risen about the country’s economic stability. With Han's impeachment, political uncertainty could deepen, leading to potential economic consequences similar to the financial crisis of the late 1990s.