Starting from 12 a.m. on the 2nd, Lee Joo-ho, the Deputy Prime Minister for social affairs and Minister of Education, will take on the role of acting president. This marks an unprecedented 'acting heavily acting' system.
A Ministry of Education official noted on the 1st, 'It is correct that Deputy Prime Minister Lee takes over the acting authority starting at midnight (on the 2nd),' and added, 'Deputy Prime Minister Lee is monitoring the situation from Seoul.'
Earlier that afternoon, Han Duck-soo, the acting president and Prime Minister, expressed his resignation, and it was expected that former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok would again take on the acting role starting at 12 a.m. on the 2nd. However, that evening, a motion for Choi's impeachment was suddenly raised in the National Assembly, and he immediately announced his resignation. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was still acting president until that day, promptly accepted Choi's resignation.
Accordingly, according to the government organization law, the next in line, Deputy Prime Minister Lee, will take over the acting presidency. Article 71 of the Constitution stipulates, 'When the president is vacant or unable to perform duties due to an accident, the Prime Minister and, in the order prescribed by law, the ministers will act on their behalf.' It is the first time for the Deputy Prime Minister for social affairs to perform the duties of acting president.
Meanwhile, that night, acting president Han Duck-soo approved former Deputy Prime Minister Choi's resignation and met with Deputy Prime Minister Lee Joo-ho. The Prime Minister's Office reported, 'Acting President Han met with Deputy Prime Minister Lee in the government Seoul office and expressed that the government must maintain stability and ensure sound governance under any circumstances.'