Following the impeachment and suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol due to a martial law attempt, South Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo, took steps to reassure allies and stabilize financial markets.
Mr. Han communicated with US President Joe Biden over the phone, as confirmed by both the White House and Mr. Han’s office.
According to a statement from his office, Mr. Han asserted, “South Korea will implement its foreign and security policies without interruption and will work diligently to ensure the South Korea-US alliance is maintained and strengthened.”
In a move to stabilize the nation’s leadership, the primary opposition party declared it would not pursue impeachment against Mr. Han for his role in Mr. Yoon’s December 3 martial law announcement.
Mr. Yoon’s unexpected declaration of martial law and the resulting political turmoil unsettled markets.
Mr. Han, a seasoned technocrat appointed by Mr. Yoon as prime minister, was elevated to acting president per constitutional guidelines while Mr. Yoon’s case is under review by the Constitutional Court.
The surprise martial law declaration by Mr. Yoon and the subsequent political crisis raised concerns among South Korea’s diplomatic partners regarding the nation’s ability to deter nuclear-armed North Korea.
During their conversation, Mr. Biden assured the acting prime minister that the unwavering US-South Korea alliance remains intact, emphasizing cooperation to further develop and strengthen the alliance, including trilateral collaboration with neighboring Japan, as conveyed by Mr. Han’s office.
The US issued a statement where Mr. Biden “expressed his appreciation for the resilience of democracy and the rule of law in the ROK and reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the United States to the people of the ROK,” with ROK being short for the Republic of Korea.
President Biden conveyed his confidence that the alliance will continue to be the cornerstone for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region during Acting President Han’s administration.
Shortly after yesterday’s impeachment vote, Mr. Han convened his cabinet and National Security Council, pledging to maintain military readiness to thwart any potential threats to national security.
The Constitutional Court has a period of up to six months to determine whether Mr. Yoon will be removed or reinstated.
If he is removed or resigns, a new election is expected to take place within 60 days.
