South Korea's acting president and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is set to face an impeachment vote after he refused to appoint three new judges to the Constitutional Court which is set to hold its first hearing of impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.
The main opposition Democratic Party moved a bill to impeach Han on Thursday and voting on it is expected to be held on Friday, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported.
An impeachment motion must be put to a vote between 24 and 72 hours after it is proposed in the parliament.
Earlier, Han had said he will not take the step until opposition parties, which dominate the 300-seat parliament, reach a "compromise" with the ruling People Power Party (PPP).
Before moving the impeachment motion, the lawmakers passed a bill to appoint Ma Eun-hyeok, Jeong Gye-seon, and Cho Han-chang as judges to the top court.
The top court has a total capacity of nine judges but lacks three members who are to be nominated by the parliament but Han, who is serving as acting president, said the rival parties should reach consensus before his approval.
However, the main opposition Democratic Party has threatened it will move ahead unilaterally to pass their nominations in the parliament where it holds 170 seats besides support of other 22 lawmakers from smaller parties.
South Korea is witnessing a political deadlock since April when the opposition won majority in the parliament and since has pushed back policies of Yoon, who was impeached on Dec. 14 for his botched up martial law.
Yoon in a shock move had imposed martial law on the night of Dec. 3 but was forced to rescind his order after opposition party mobilized lawmakers who rushed to parliament and passed a motion to lift the martial law.
The 63-year-old leader remains suspended from duties and the Constitutional Court is set to hold the first hearing of the trial on Friday.
It has six months to decide whether Yoon, who faces charges of insurrection and treason, should be removed from office or reinstated to presidential office.
Separately, South Korea on Thursday imposed sanctions on 15 North Korean IT workers and one entity over their alleged roles in the "illicit cyber activities" to fund the country's nuclear and missile development.
The Foreign Ministry said 14 out of the 15 individuals are working abroad and earning foreign currencies through illegal cyber activities, such as crypto theft, to fund North Korea's nuclear and missile development.
*Islamuddin Sajid in Islamabad contributed to this report
