The South Korean foreign ministry issued diplomatic letters to all foreign missions in the country on Saturday, assuring them that diplomatic activities would proceed uninterrupted under the leadership of acting Prime Minister Han Duck-soo following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The ministry emphasized that “diplomatic schedules will continue as planned, even under the acting president system,” according to a statement shared with reporters. The move came just hours after the National Assembly voted to impeach President Yoon over his controversial martial law declaration.
In its message, the ministry directed all South Korean overseas missions to maintain a “disciplined posture” under the current circumstances and to perform their duties with “exceptional determination,” while fostering strong relations with host countries, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
Earlier on Saturday, South Korea’s National Assembly voted overwhelmingly to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol, suspending him from his duties pending a decision by the Constitutional Court on whether to reinstate or permanently remove him from office. The impeachment vote, supported by 204 of the 300 lawmakers, came in response to Yoon’s declaration of martial law, which had sparked nationwide outrage.
The martial law decree, announced unexpectedly 11 days prior, saw troops deployed to encircle the National Assembly compound in what appeared to be an effort to prevent lawmakers from repealing the measure. The decree was overturned within six hours following a parliamentary vote but led to widespread investigations into allegations that Yoon may have attempted an insurrection. He has since been barred from leaving the country.
With the impeachment motion passed, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has stepped in as acting president to oversee the government’s operations during this transitional period. The outcome of the Constitutional Court’s deliberation will determine Yoon’s political future, while South Korea’s citizens have expressed strong approval of his impeachment.
