Senior aides to impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol offered to resign en masse after acting President Choi Sang-mok approved two new judges, according to Reuters.
Yoon‘s chief of staff, head of the political department, national security adviser and special adviser for foreign affairs and security, as well as all other senior secretaries submitted their resignations, according to a statement from the office. However, Choi stated that he would not accept their resignations amid the stabilisation of the political crisis.
Aides have repeatedly announced their intention to resign following Yoon’s failed attempt to declare martial law on 3 December, but their resignations have not been accepted. The latest offer came a day after Choi unexpectedly approved the filling of two vacancies on the Constitutional Court hearing Yoon’s impeachment case.
That brings the total number of judges on the nine-member court to eight. Meanwhile, any decision on the Yoon case requires the consent of at least six judges.
Finance Minister Choi on Friday took over as acting president following the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had been acting president since 14 December when Yoon was removed from office. Yoon faces investigation on charges that he led the uprising, with the Seoul District Court on Tuesday giving the green light for his arrest, a historic move for a sitting president.
