Seoul: South Korea’s finance minister, Choi Sang-mok, has resigned, as confirmed in a statement by his ministry. This resignation comes at a critical time when the country’s parliament was in the process of voting on his impeachment.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Choi’s resignation was accepted by the finance ministry, halting the impeachment vote. Choi was anticipated to take on the acting presidency after Han Duck-soo’s formal resignation, positioning himself for a presidential run ahead of the snap election scheduled for next month.
In a statement released by the finance ministry, Choi expressed regret over his inability to continue his duties due to challenging economic conditions both domestically and internationally. His decision to step down follows opposition MPs’ introduction of an impeachment motion against him, spurred by the Supreme Court’s overturning of a verdict against their presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, who was previously acquitted of election law violations.
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik announced the suspension of the impeachment vote following the notification of Choi’s resignation. This development adds to the ongoing political turbulence in South Korea, further exacerbated by former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed martial law declaration in December.
With Han Duck-soo stepping down, the acting presidency was expected to transition to Choi. However, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho will now assume the acting presidency, overseeing the electoral process for the upcoming presidential election on June 3.