South Korea's Political Shake-Up: Acting President Han Duck-soo Impeached

South Korea finds itself in a whirlwind of political instability as the National Assembly has voted to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo. This decision was reached after a tumultuous parliamentary session, where 192 lawmakers supported the impeachment—a surpassing number of the necessary 151 votes. Han stepped into the role after President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached earlier this month for attempting to impose martial law.Parliament erupted in chaos during the voting, especially from members of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), who protested against the process, disputing the validity of the vote. Many of these lawmakers chose to boycott the session in response to new voting thresholds—unlike President Yoon's impeachment, Han’s required fewer votes from the ruling party.As soon as parliament formally informs Han, he will be suspended from his duties. Meanwhile, constitutional proceedings will continue to determine if the impeachment holds, as the Constitutional Court has a 180-day deadline to make a ruling. Following Han's impeachment, finance minister Choi Sang-mok is set to take over as acting president.The political landscape is fraught with tension, which has further affected economic indicators, with the Korean won hitting a significant low against the dollar. Calls for accountability ring across party lines, as each party blames the other for the current unrest. Amidst the uncertainty, Han has expressed respect for the National Assembly's decision while awaiting the court's verdict.