South Korea's opposition lawmakers have filed a motion to impeach Prime Minister and acting President Han Dak-soo, less than two weeks after parliament voted to impeach President Yeon Suk-yul.
This comes after Han refused to appoint Constitutional Court judges nominated by the main opposition Democratic Party.
“Han has revealed himself as a rebel, not an acting president,” Democratic Party bloc leader Park Chan-dae said on Thursday.
The opposition also accused Han of helping Yoon impose martial law on December 3. Han previously apologized for failing to prevent this.
Han also vetoed several bills introduced by the opposition, including one proposing a special investigation into Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration.
The impeachment proposal is expected to be put to a vote in the next 24 to 72 hours.
For this law to succeed, 151 out of 300 representatives must vote in favor of it.
The Democratic Party currently holds 170 seats out of 300 in Parliament. The opposition bloc holds 192 seats together.
Opposition parties hoped that Han would not stand in their way while he assumed the position of interim president of the country, and that he would allow the bills to be passed.
But instead he remained steadfast, deepening the political conflict.
On Tuesday, Han concluded a Cabinet meeting without reviewing two opposition-sponsored bills that called for special investigations into the martial law declaration and corruption allegations involving First Lady Kim Keun-hye.
He said he did not put it on the agenda to give the ruling party and opposition parties more time to reach a compromise.
But Democratic Party leader Park Chan-dae criticized it for “buying time and prolonging the rebellion.”
“We have clearly warned that it is entirely up to Prime Minister Han Dak-soo whether he will go down in history as a disgraced figure, a puppet of rebel plot leader Yeon Suk-yul, or a government employee who faithfully carried out the rebellions,” Park said in a televised party meeting. Orders from the public.
On Thursday, Han said he would not appoint the three judges nominated by the opposition-dominated National Assembly to the Constitutional Court – which is deliberating whether Yoon should be removed – unless the rival parties reach a consensus.
In response, Park said, “It has become clear that Han Dak-soo is neither qualified nor willing to defend the Constitution,” adding that the opposition will “immediately” introduce the impeachment bill.
Han's ruling People Power Party said the opposition's threats conflicted with Han's “legitimate exercise of power,” while a senior official in the Prime Minister's Office criticized the threats as “extremely regrettable.”
Han took over as interim president after Yoon was removed from his post earlier this month. If lawmakers vote to impeach Han, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mook will be next in line.
This latest development in the country's political turmoil comes as Seoul's Constitutional Court is deliberating whether Yoon should be permanently banned from office.
The court is expected to hold its first public hearing later this week.
It is unclear whether Yoon himself will take the stand during the hearings, but protesters have vowed to continue their calls for Yoon's removal during court proceedings.
Yoon is also under investigation for alleged rebellion due to his failed attempt to place the country under martial law.
He refused to accept several subpoenas served to him, and investigators warned that they could issue an arrest warrant if he continued to fail to respond.
Several senior officials are also being investigated, including former Defense Minister Kim Young-hyun, former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, and Army Chief Park An-soo.
Additional reporting by Jake Kwon and Hosoo Lee in Seoul
