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People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon (right) speaks at a press conference with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo following their meeting on Dec. 8, 2024. (Yoon Woon-sik/Hankyoreh)

Ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon said that President Yoon Suk-yeol will be excluded from duties during his remaining time in office and that he, as party leader, will take responsibility for national governance, including foreign affairs and national defense, along with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. 
 
Instead of formally pushing pause on the president’s exercise of power by endorsing a parliamentary impeachment motion, Han Dong-hoon is scheming to delay Yoon’s fate by advocating for the president’s “orderly departure,” while seeking to secure his own political lifeline by taking the reins of the country’s government. 
 
The legal community and civil society have condemned the move as an attempt to bypass the Constitution, while the opposition has called it a “declaration of a second coup by aiders and abettors of insurrection.”
 
“Until the president’s resignation, the prime minister will work with the party to ensure that there are no hiccups in national governance and people’s livelihoods,” the ruling party leader said in a joint statement with the prime minister after summoning the latter to People Power Party (PPP) headquarters for a meeting on Sunday morning.

“The president will not be involved in national governance, including foreign affairs. I want to assure the people and the international community that there is no need for concern in that regard,” he said. 
 
The ruling party leader then said he planned to hold regular meetings with the prime minister “at least once a week” and communicate with him “at all times” to discuss urgent national issues involving the economy, foreign affairs and national defense. 

“We shall work together to prepare countermeasures so that our governance remains air-tight,” he said. 
 
Immediately after the impeachment motion fell through due to a lack of lawmakers in the parliamentary chamber to constitute a qualified vote, Han Dong-hoon had said that the president would be “effectively excluded” from governance until he leaves office.
 
The opposition is lambasting the announcement as a “second self-coup” and “second insurrection attempt.” 

“This is a declaration that they will govern the nation as Yoon’s puppets. It is yet another attempt at treason,” Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung said at an emergency press conference on Sunday afternoon in response to the prime minister and ruling party leader’s joint statement. 

“For the sake of the people of South Korea, we will absolutely impeach Yoon on Dec. 14,” Lee pledged.
 
Rebuilding Korea Party leader Cho Kuk also held a press conference. 

“This is yet another self-coup. Discussions on shortening the president’s term can take place after his arrest,” Cho said, calling for Yoon to be arrested swiftly and face investigation in detention.
 
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik held an emergency press conference at 3 pm. 

“The granting and transference of presidential power should be decided by the will of the people, and the process must adhere to the Constitution and the principle of national sovereignty,” he said. 
 
Woo suggested that the ruling and opposition parties commence talks to “immediately suspend the president’s exercise of power.”
 
Han Dong-hoon and Han Duck-soo’s joint statement is being slammed as an extrajudicial power grab, as the two claim that they will take over and exercise presidential powers despite there being no legal basis for such an exercise of power.
 
While the president was directly elected by the Korean people, Han Dong-hoon is nothing more than a representative of the People Power Party who landed his position due to the votes of rank-and-file members of the PPP. It’s widely recognized that are no legal mechanisms that would enable Han Dong-hoon to exercise the powers of the president. As for Han Duck-soo, the prime minister should also face investigation for aiding and abetting insurrection.
 
The announcement prompted fierce backlash in Han Dong-hoon’s own party as well. A member of the party’s pro-Yoon faction slammed the party leader, saying, “This is a power grab. Who gave him the right to assume the role of acting president?” 

Another pro-Yoon lawmaker said they had “stayed quiet” for the sake of rallying support to protest the president’s impeachment but now felt the need to “speak up.” 

“Han wants to play president despite lacking support from all quarters,” they said. 
 
Lawmakers loyal to the president are expected to protest this takeover plan at the PPP general assembly scheduled for Monday.
 
The Democratic Party is continuing to add pressure, pushing for Yoon’s impeachment and a special counsel probe. Democratic lawmakers serving on the National Assembly’s Special Budget Settlement Committee released a statement Sunday evening proclaiming, “There will be no negotiations with the ruling party on the annual budget without the passing of an impeachment bill for the president.”
 
The statement seems to be a direct response to Han Duck-soo and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok’s demands for a speedy passage of the annual budget.
 
The Democratic Party also intends to introduce bills mandating special counsel probes into Yoon’s declaration of martial law and various scandals surrounding the first lady on Monday to vote on during a plenary session on Thursday.
 
The prosecution’s special headquarters investigating the events of Tuesday’s attempted insurrection named Yoon a subject of criminal investigation on Sunday. However, Yoon approved Interior and Safety Minister Lee Sang-min’s resignation on the same day. Despite Han Dong-hoon’s claims that Yoon is now void of presidential powers, he continues to wield his power to appoint and remove personnel.

By Seo Young-ji, staff reporter; Jeon Gwang-joon, staff reporter; Ko Han-sol, staff reporter

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