South Korea’s Constitutional Court reinstated Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president on Monday, overturning his impeachment.
Han, who had been suspended from the role, vowed to focus on guiding the country through the challenges posed by the ongoing U.S. “trade war.”
The ruling, which follows months of political unrest, allows Han to resume his duties immediately.
He had taken over as acting president after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached for declaring martial law in December.
“I believe the people have spoken clearly, with one voice, calling for an end to the extreme political confrontation,” Han said in his first public remarks after the ruling.
He expressed gratitude to the court for its “wise decision” and acknowledged the efforts of the cabinet during his suspension.
“As acting president, I will do my utmost to ensure stable governance and focus all my efforts on protecting national interests amid the trade tensions,” he added.
South Korea, one of the world’s leading exporters, has been preparing for the potential economic fallout from the U.S. trade war, especially with the threat of tariffs imposed under former U.S. President Donald Trump.
South Korea has already faced U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and is seeking exemption from additional tariffs expected next month.
Earlier this month, Trump singled out South Korea for high tariffs on U.S. exports.
The political crisis in South Korea intensified following Yoon’s martial law declaration, which plunged the nation into its most significant political upheaval in decades.
This led to a leadership vacuum marked by impeachments, resignations, and criminal indictments of top officials.
Han, who served less than two weeks as acting president before his impeachment on December 27, was initially suspended after clashing with an opposition-led parliament.
He had refused to appoint three new justices to the Constitutional Court, a move that sparked political tensions.
The court ruled Monday by a 7-1 vote to strike down Han’s impeachment. During the suspension, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok had briefly assumed the role of acting president.
Han, aged 75, has held leadership roles for over three decades under five different presidents, spanning both conservative and liberal administrations.
He is one of the few officials in South Korea whose career has bridged partisan divides.
However, the opposition-led parliament accused him of failing to prevent Yoon’s controversial martial law decision a claim Han denied.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, urged the Constitutional Court to swiftly resolve President Yoon’s impeachment case, with a ruling expected in the coming days.
Yoon is also facing a separate criminal trial for allegedly leading an insurrection with his martial law declaration.
If Yoon is removed, South Korea would be required to hold a new presidential election within 60 days.
“The court’s delay in making a decision is exacerbating division and fueling conflict,” Lee said, noting that polls suggest he would be the frontrunner if an election were to take place.
Recent months have seen large, mostly peaceful protests both supporting and opposing Yoon’s removal.
Lim Ji-bong, a law professor at Sogang University, predicted that the court would likely remove Yoon, citing the need for the justices to make a bold decision to prevent further national division.
The political crisis was sparked by the unexpected declaration of martial law on December 3, which lasted only about six hours.
Lawmakers defied a security cordon and voted to reject the declaration, leading to widespread concerns, both domestically and internationally, including from key allies like the United States.
