Korean politics in disarray as Choi Sang-mok, who was to become acting president, resigns amid impeachment vote
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who was to replace outgoing Prime Minister Han Duck-soo Friday, stepped down as the Democratic Party-controlled National Assembly moved to impeach him in a move widely perceived as retaliation over the Supreme Court's ruling against its presidential candidate.
Choi offered to resign at 10:28 p.m. Thursday and his resignation was quickly accepted by Han, who offered to step down Thursday afternoon in an apparent bid to run for president. Han's role as acting president is to end at midnight.
In a note to reporters, Choi said he "felt sorry for being unable to continue his official duties in the face of grave economic challenges at home and abroad."
Choi's resignation follows the National Assembly's move to impeach him. The Democratic Party had filed a motion to impeach Choi in March citing his "selective" appointment of Constitutional Court justices recommended by the National Assembly. The Constitutional Court's eight justices in April unanimously upheld former President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his botched self-coup attempt.
Upon learning of Choi's resignation — minutes after putting the impeachment motion to the vote — National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik halted voting by lawmakers.
Following Thursday night's debacle, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Lee Joo-ho is set to take over as acting president in accordance with the order of succession.
Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court found in a 10-2 ruling that Rep. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee for the June 3 election, was guilty of making false claims during the 2022 presidential election as a candidate and sent the case back to the Seoul High Court.
Describing the ruling as an "unfair intervention" by the Supreme Court in the election, the Democratic Party pushed ahead with its plan to impeach Choi, as well as Shim Woo-jung, chief of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, after holding an emergency meeting later Thursday.
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