(Reuters)
SEOUL, March 24 – South Korea’s Constitutional Court reinstated Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to the post of acting president on Monday, striking down his impeachment as he pledged to focus on steering Asia’s fourth-biggest economy through a U.S. “trade war”.
The ruling, which comes amid months of political turmoil in the country, returns Han to power immediately. He took over as acting leader from President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached over his imposition of martial law in December.
“I believe the people are making it very clear, in one voice, that the extreme confrontation in politics must stop,” said Han, who thanked the court for its “wise decision” and the cabinet for their hard work while he was suspended.
“As acting president, I will do my best to maintain stable state administration, and devote all wisdom and capabilities to safeguard national interests in the trade war,” Han said in televised comments.
South Korea, one of the world’s top exporters, has been bracing for the potential impact of a range of threatened tariffs under U.S. President Donald Trump.
South Korea has already seen U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium and has been seeking an exemption from reciprocal U.S tariffs next month. Earlier this month, Trump singled out South Korea for applying high tariffs on U.S. exports.
Yoon’s martial law declaration plunged the key U.S. military ally into its greatest political crisis in decades, and sparked a leadership vacuum amid spiralling impeachments, resignations, and criminal indictments for a range of top officials.
Han had initially lasted less than two weeks in the post and was impeached and suspended on December 27 after clashing with the opposition-led parliament by refusing to appoint three more justices to the Constitutional Court.
The justices on the court ruled on Monday seven to one to strike down the impeachment.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok had assumed the position of acting president while the cases of Yoon and Han were before the Constitutional Court.
