South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party (DPK) on April 22 called for the immediate suspension and impeachment of Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, accusing him of abusing his powers and undermining the neutrality of the upcoming presidential election.
Jin Sung-joon, the DPK’s policy chief, said during a party meeting that Han had neglected his duty to manage state affairs and the June 3 presidential election in a fair and stable manner following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol earlier this month.
“With just 42 days left until the election, the official overseeing the vote is absurdly weighing a presidential bid,” Jin said. “He is abusing his authority, arbitrarily vetoing legislation, and adopting a submissive stance in sensitive trade talks critical to national interests.”
Jin urged parliament to move forward with impeachment proceedings immediately, saying Han’s actions amounted to unconstitutional and illegal conduct. “If we miss this moment, the consequences could be irreversible,” he said.
Earlier in the day, DPK lawmakers held a press conference outside the government complex in Seoul, denouncing Han and accusing him of attempting to cling to power.
Kim Min-seok, a senior DPK official, alleged Han was orchestrating “a run for office disguised as public duty” to shield himself from an expected investigation over alleged complicity in the Yoon administration’s downfall.
“Han is nothing more than a second Yi Wan-yong, selling out national interests for his own ambition,” Kim said, referring to the pro-Japanese collaborator during Korea’s colonial era. “If he’s going to run, he should stop scheming and face the public’s judgment right now.”
Han has not publicly declared his candidacy for the presidency and said in a recent interview with the Financial Times that no decision had been made.
