South Korea reinstates impeached PM Han Duck-soo as acting president

South Korea's Constitutional Court reinstated Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to the post of acting president on Monday, striking down his impeachment as he pledged to focus on steering Asia's fourth-biggest economy through a US "trade war".

The ruling, which comes amid months of political turmoil in the country, returns Han to power immediately. He took over as acting leader from President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached over his imposition of martial law in December.

"I believe the people are making it very clear, in one voice, that the extreme confrontation in politics must stop," said Han, who thanked the court for its "wise decision" and the cabinet for their hard work while he was suspended.

"As acting president, I will do my best to maintain stable state administration, and devote all wisdom and capabilities to safeguard national interests in the trade war," Han said in televised comments.

South Korea, one of the world's top exporters, has been bracing for the potential impact of a range of threatened tariffs under US President Donald Trump.

South Korea has already seen US tariffs on steel and aluminium and has been seeking an exemption from reciprocal US tariffs next month. Earlier this month, Trump singled out South Korea for applying high tariffs on US exports.

Yoon's martial law declaration plunged the key US military ally into its greatest political crisis in decades, and sparked a leadership vacuum amid spiralling impeachments, resignations, and criminal indictments for a range of top officials.

Han had initially lasted less than two weeks in the post and was impeached and suspended on December 27 after clashing with the opposition-led parliament by refusing to appoint three more justices to the Constitutional Court.

The justices on the court ruled on Monday seven to one to strike down the impeachment.

Five of the eight justices said the impeachment motion was valid, but there were not enough grounds to impeach Han as he did not violate the constitution or the law concerning martial law, according to a court statement.

Two justices ruled that the impeachment motion against Han, who was acting president at the time, was invalid from the start as two-thirds of lawmakers in parliament did not pass it.

One justice voted to impeach Han.

The 75-year-old had served in leadership positions for more than three decades under five presidents, both conservative and liberal.

In a country sharply divided by partisan rhetoric, Han had been seen as a rare example of an official whose varied career transcended party lines.