South Korean Court Restores Han Duck-soo as Acting President Following Impeachment Reversal

By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu

On March 24, 2025, South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled to reinstate Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president, overturning his impeachment.

Han had assumed the acting presidency after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s suspension in December, following Yoon’s controversial declaration of martial law.

The court, in a five-to-one decision, stated that Han’s actions “cannot be seen as constituting a betrayal of the people’s trust indirectly granted through the President.”

Han expressed his thanks for the court’s ruling, saying, “I believe that all citizens are clearly speaking out against the highly polarized political sphere. I think there is no place for division now. Our country’s priority is to move forward.”

The ruling comes just before the Constitutional Court is expected to announce a decision on President Yoon’s impeachment.

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung criticized the delay, stating, “The entire nation is losing sleep over Yoon Suk Yeol’s illegal military coup,” and questioned, “It is hard to fathom why the Constitutional Court continues to postpone the ruling date.”

Should Yoon’s impeachment be upheld, South Korea will be required to hold new elections within 60 days, a scenario that many fear could further deepen the country’s political crisis.