The White House issued a statement saying that U.S. President Biden and South Korean Acting President Han Duck-soo had a phone call on Saturday. Biden emphasized that the U.S.-Korea alliance is key to ensuring peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
The White House stated that President Biden “appreciates the resilience of Korean democracy and the rule of law, and reaffirms America’s steadfast commitment to the Korean people.”
“The two leaders discussed the significant progress we have made in further strengthening the U.S.-Korea alliance in recent years. President Biden expressed his belief that during the tenure of South Korean Acting President Han Duck-soo, this alliance will continue to be critical to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region,” the White House said.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol suddenly declared martial law on the evening of December 3, only to lift it a few hours later, triggering impeachment proceedings in the parliament. The South Korean parliament passed the impeachment motion on Saturday (December 14), leading to Yoon being suspended from duties with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo serving as acting president.
According to the South Korean constitution, the Constitutional Court has up to 180 days, until mid-June next year, to announce whether the president’s impeachment is valid. If the Constitutional Court rejects the impeachment, the motion will be nullified, and Yoon Suk-yeol will resume office.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated in a release on Saturday (December 14) that the U.S. commitment to the U.S.-Korea alliance remains rock-solid.
Miller noted that in recent years, the alliance has made “significant progress,” and Washington “looks forward to cooperating with South Korea to achieve further advancements.” He emphasized that the U.S. is ready to continue working with South Korea’s acting president and government to promote our common interests and values.
After the impeachment motion was passed in parliament, Yoon Suk-yeol delivered a speech saying, “Although I have temporarily paused, the journey we have taken together over the past two and a half years with the people towards the future must not stop. I will never give up.”