South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has attempted to impeach senior government officials 29 times since President Yoon Suk-yeol took office, though none have been upheld by the Constitutional Court.
As of Aug. 13, the court has dismissed all eight impeachment cases it has reviewed, ruling that they did not meet the legal threshold for removal. There is currently no mechanism to hold lawmakers accountable for failed impeachment attempts, nor to address administrative disruptions or financial costs associated with the process.
Critics, particularly within the ruling People Power Party (PPP), have accused the DPK of exploiting procedural loopholes to pursue a series of impeachments without sufficient legal justification.
The DPK and other opposition parties have introduced impeachment motions against officials ranging from former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min in February 2023 to Prime Minister Han Duck-soo in December 2024. Over the past two years, the opposition has submitted at least one impeachment motion per month, with some officials facing multiple attempts. Of the 29 cases, 13 were approved by parliament, leading to temporary suspensions, while 16 were either withdrawn or remain pending in the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. In some instances, officials resigned under political pressure before the process was completed.
Former Korea Communications Commission (KCC) Chairman Lee Dong-gwan, for instance, stepped down in 2023 after facing three impeachment motions. His successors, Kim Hong-il and Lee Sang-in, also resigned following impeachment attempts. Former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and former Interior Minister Lee Sang-min similarly left office amid proceedings against them.
Some impeachment motions were withdrawn due to procedural errors. In one case, an impeachment motion against Lee Dong-gwan mistakenly cited the Prosecutor’s Office Act, prompting its withdrawal. The DPK dismissed the error as minor, but critics argued it reflected a rushed approach. Other motions were based on controversial grounds, including the impeachment of KCC Chair Lee Jin-sook just two days after taking office and allegations that Justice Minister Park Sung-jae had made a critical expression toward an opposition leader.
The Constitutional Court has so far ruled in all cases that the charges did not warrant removal from office. The PPP argues that repeated impeachment efforts have disrupted government operations and eroded public trust.
“The DPK has pushed forward impeachment attempts without regard for administrative stability or national credibility,” said PPP spokesperson Seo Ji-young.
The DPK has not issued apologies to officials reinstated after failed impeachment attempts. Following the court’s recent dismissal of a motion against Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Choe Jae-hae, DPK spokesperson Jo Seoung-lae instead pointed to findings that some of Choi’s actions were legally questionable.
The financial costs associated with the repeated impeachment motions have also sparked debate. Since Yoon took office, parliamentary expenses related to impeachment proceedings have amounted to 460.24 million won ($350,000). Despite previous dismissals, the DPK has signaled plans to seek impeachment of Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok.
PPP lawmaker Jang Dong-hyeok, a former judge, criticized the opposition’s approach, arguing that impeachment has been used as a political tool to deflect scrutiny from DPK leader Lee Jae-myung.
Legal expert Kim Jong-min noted that while the repeated impeachment attempts may not constitute false accusations, they could be viewed as an abuse of authority.
