South Korean Constitutional Court to announce ruling on PM’s impeachment next Monday
Seoul, March 20 (IANS) The Constitutional Court of South Korea said on Thursday that it will deliver its ruling on South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s impeachment over martial law-related allegations next week.
The verdict will be announced at 10 a.m. on Monday, the court said in a notice to the press, three months after he was impeached by the National Assembly over a string of allegations related to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed bid to impose martial law in December.
If the impeachment motion is upheld, Han will be removed from office. If it is dismissed, he will be reinstated.
Under the Constitution, the consent of at least six justices is required to uphold an impeachment motion. There are currently eight justices on the bench.
The motion against Han lists five reasons for his impeachment, including his alleged involvement in imposing martial law, his refusal to appoint additional justices to the Constitutional Court, and his refusal to promulgate two special counsel bills targeting Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon Hee, Yonhap news agency reported.
Han has denied wrongdoing, claiming he opposed the imposition of martial law and played no part in the deployment of troops to the National Assembly while the decree was in force.
The Constitutional Court has yet to announce the date for its ruling on Yoon’s impeachment over the martial law bid.
Earlier in the day, two opposition lawmakers of South Korea were hit with raw eggs during an outdoor press conference calling for impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s removal from office.
Lawmakers of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) were holding the press conference outside the Constitutional Court when the eggs were thrown at them from across the road and hit Back Hye-ryun and Lee Geon-tae.
If Yoon is ousted, the country will be required to hold a snap presidential election within 60 days. If reinstated, he will serve out the remainder of his term till May 2027.
–IANS
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