A Sidelined Sitting President: South Korea's Leader Won't Run the Country

Source: Wall Street Journal (gift link)

SEOUL—South Korea’s embattled president will no longer be involved in running the country or diplomacy, according to the ruling party’s leader, who argued the move was made to stabilize state affairs after Yoon Suk Yeol briefly instituted martial law this past week.

Yoon, who just staved off impeachment after his party’s lawmakers boycotted the vote, agreed to the arrangement, said Han Dong-hoon, the head of the conservative People Power Party, in a Sunday morning address. The party, Han added, would seek an “orderly early retreat” for Yoon, whom roughly three-quarters of South Koreans want to see gone.

Before Yoon steps aside, Han said, “the president will not be involved in governance, including foreign affairs.” He called Yoon unfit to lead after the martial-law order.

In the interim, the party—in coordination with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo—would handle “livelihood issues and state affairs,” Han Dong-hoon said. He didn’t offer concrete details on how or when Yoon would be removed or other steps. South Korea’s main government ministries on Sunday didn’t offer clarity on who was ultimately in charge.

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