"Execution" Post. In South Korea, the Second President in a Month Has Been Impeached
According to Reuters, a majority of South Korean parliament members have voted to impeach the country's acting president.
The embattled interim head of state (formerly prime minister) Han Dak-soo has been acting president since the previous president, Yun Suk-yeol, was impeached on December 14 for failing to illegally declare martial law in the country on December 3.
192 lawmakers out of 300 members of parliament voted for impeachment. The post of head of state is now "toxic" and "subject to execution." Following the impeachment of Han Dak-soo, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is next in line to become acting president.
The main opposition left-wing Democratic Party, which controls parliament, decided to impeach Han Dak-soo after he failed to promptly appoint three judges to fill vacancies on the Constitutional Court. This court is responsible for determining the extent of responsibility for the dismissal of Yun Suk-yul, the mastermind behind the failed state of emergency.
There has been disagreement between ruling and opposition parties, as well as some constitutional scholars, over whether a simple majority or a two-thirds vote is needed to impeach a sitting president.
However, House Speaker Woo Won-sik, who represents the Democratic Party, said a simple majority vote was needed to impeach Han Dak-soo.
English version :: Read in English: "Execution" post. In South Korea, the second president has been impeached in a month.