In a dramatic reversal, South Korea’s Constitutional Court reinstated impeached Prime Minister Han Duck-soo as acting president on March 24, 2025, with a decisive 7-1 vote, thrusting the 75-year-old back into the nation’s highest office. The ruling marks the latest twist in a turbulent political saga ignited by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s controversial martial law decree on December 3, 2024, which plunged the country into chaos and set off a cascade of impeachments.
Han’s return follows his own ousting on December 27, 2024, when the opposition-dominated National Assembly voted to impeach him, accusing him of delaying the appointment of three Constitutional Court justices and not doing enough to oppose Yoon’s brief authoritarian stunt. During Han’s suspension, Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok stepped in as acting president, steering the nation through weeks of uncertainty. But the court’s eight justices—five of whom found Han’s violations insufficient for removal—overturned his impeachment, arguing that while the motion was valid, the grounds didn’t warrant his exit. Justice Chung Kyesun cast the lone dissenting vote, calling for stricter accountability.
The roots of this crisis trace back to Yoon’s six-hour martial law declaration, a move that stunned South Korea and led to his impeachment by lawmakers on December 14, 2024. Suspended from power, Yoon now faces a separate Constitutional Court review, with a decision due by mid-June 2025. Beyond impeachment, Yoon is under investigation for rebellion, a charge that could carry the death penalty if he’s convicted—a shadow looming over his political fate.
Han’s reinstatement restores a semblance of stability, but it’s a fragile one. Critics question his leadership, pointing to his earlier reluctance to challenge Yoon and his limited mandate as an unelected caretaker. Supporters, however, see the court’s ruling as a pragmatic step to steady a nation rocked by infighting. Meanwhile, the opposition vows to keep pressing, with Yoon’s case still unresolved and public anger simmering over the martial law debacle.
As South Korea watches Han reclaim the reins, the Constitutional Court’s next move on Yoon could redefine the country’s trajectory. For now, the political rollercoaster rolls on, with no end in sight to this unprecedented crisis.
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