[President Yoon Impeachment Motion Passed]
On the afternoon of the 15th, Woo Won-shik, the Speaker of the National Assembly (right), and Han Duck-soo, acting president and Prime Minister, met and conversed at the National Assembly. / Photo by National Assembly Press Corps
On the same day, Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo received a briefing at the Seoul Government Complex from Jeong Jin-seok, Chief Presidential Secretary, and Seong Tae-yoon, Head of Policy, on ways to cooperate with the Presidential Secretariat. Due to President Yoon Suk-yeol’s suspension from duties, agencies such as the Presidential Secretariat, National Security Office, and the Presidential Security Service are legally required to support Acting President Han. Following this, he assembled cabinet members to receive reports on current government affairs from various ministries and assessed the situation. Later, during a phone call with Paul LaCamera, Commander of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command (USFK Commander), Han emphasized the need to strengthen South Korea-U.S. communication, citing the possibility of North Korea’s provocations during this emergency. He then visited the National Assembly to meet with Speaker Woo to discuss cooperation between the National Assembly and the government to stabilize public welfare.
The previous day, at 7:24 PM, when Han assumed presidential duties, he immediately convened an emergency cabinet meeting, urging ministers to ensure stable governance and reassuring the public, “We will conduct state affairs strictly following the constitution and laws.” He also called a National Security Council meeting to check readiness in the diplomatic and security sectors. Furthermore, he contacted Speaker Woo and Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, seeking cooperation on emergency governance. Early the next morning, he had a phone conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden to discuss the situation in Korea and the South Korea-U.S. alliance.
The Prime Minister’s Office stated that Acting President Han would focus solely on maintaining national functions, security, and public welfare. However, an emerging issue is Han’s potential exercise of the right to request reconsideration (veto) of bills unilaterally passed by the Democratic Party and other opposition parties in the National Assembly.
Previously, the People Power Party suggested that President Yoon veto six bills, including the ‘Agricultural Four Laws’ such as the Grain Management Act and the Agricultural and Fisheries Disaster Response Act, which the opposition forced through on the 28th of last month, as well as the National Assembly Act and the National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act. As the presidential authority has transferred to Acting President Han, deciding on the veto exercise now rests with him. The Agricultural Four Laws primarily require the government to purchase surplus rice and compensate for drops in prices of other agricultural products with national funds. Han has consistently opposed the Grain Management Act, citing it as a bill that contradicts market principles, and there is speculation that he might veto the Agricultural Four Laws. There is a precedent with former Acting President Goh Kun vetoing two bills in 2004.
In contrast, it is widely anticipated that Acting President Han will find it difficult to exercise a veto on the National Insurrection Special Prosecutor Act and the Kim Kun-hee Special Prosecutor Act passed on the 9th. Despite the government consistently opposing the Kim’s Act due to its alleged unconstitutionality, President Yoon’s duties have been suspended, and Acting President Han is under investigation for alleged complicity in insurrection. A source from the Prime Minister’s Office remarked that Han is in a situation where he has to ponder over these matters until the end. Additionally, the Prime Minister’s Office is reportedly contemplating an exit strategy for the medical school enrollment increase policy.