The South Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo, held a conversation with the US President Joe Biden over phone on Sunday, Han’s office said in a statement.
Acting President Han said, “South Korea will carry out its foreign and security policies without disruption and strive to ensure the South Korea-US alliance is maintained and developed steadfastly.”
The development comes amid the South Korean parliament impeaching President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has been accused of declaring martial law in the country and creating a political turmoil amid rising unrest.
President Biden reiterated the United States support for South Korea and that their ironclad alliance remains unchanged. The US will work together with South Korea to develop and strengthen their partnership, as well as trilateral cooperation among South Korea, Japan and the United States, Biden added.
People hold signs before a rally to demand South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment outside the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea. (AP)
With the second motion of impeachment getting passed against Yoon Suk Yeol after his short-lived martial law was blocked by the members of the National Assembly, the presidential powers of Yoon remain suspended and he cannot exercise it while the constitution mandates the prime minister to take over as acting president’s role.
The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly with a 204-85 vote. According to AP, the court now has 180 days to decide upon the case of Yoon and whether to dismiss him or restore his powers. If Yoon loses the case, then a national election will be held within a span of two months.
Yoon was earlier banned by the South Korean agencies from leaving the country as they investigated whether he and others involved in the martial law declaration committed rebellion and abuse of power.
However, the impeachment motion alleged that Yoon “committed rebellion that hurt peace in the Republic of Korea by staging a series of riots.”
The first impeachment motion brought by the opposition led alliance had failed as the ruling party boycotted the vote.
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