Constitutional Court Reinstates Acting President of South Korea

South Korea constitutional court on Monday dismissed the impeachment case of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, reinstating him as the acting president of the country.

“The Constitutional Court has rendered a decision to reject the impeachment trial request against Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.” The court said in a statement on Monday.

Han’s actions while in office cannot be seen as constituting a betrayal of the people’s trust indirectly granted through the President, the court ruled.

Some context: Prime Minister Han Duck-soo took the role as the acting president after the President Yoon Suk Yeol impeachment. President Yoon was the first sitting South Korean president to stand trial in a criminal case. He was suspended from office after his abrupt imposition of martial law sparked public outrage and mass protests. 

“I believe that all citizens are clearly speaking out against the highly polarised political sphere. I think there is no place for division now. Our country’s priority is to move forward,” Prime Minister and acting President Han Duck-soo said on Monday.

The court’s decision was closely watched as it comes ahead of the highly anticipated ruling on suspended President Yoon’s impeachment, which the date has not yet been announced.

Samsung co-Ceo, Han Jong-Hee dies

The South Korean tech giant, “Samsung Electronics”, announced the death of co-CEO Han Jong-Hee who died on Tuesday at 63 from cardiac arrest, according to the company spokesperson.

In an internal message seen by CNN, The company paid tribute to Han, saying he had dedicated more than 37 years of his life to leading Samsung’s TV business to become a global leader and as the head of its electronics and appliances businesses, he also contributed to the company’s growth amid a challenging business environment.

“Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time,” the message reads.

Han Jong-Hee was born in 1962 and joined the company in 1988 after earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Inha University. According to the company, he was in charge of the display operation before he later became the head of the electronics and devices division in 2022.

The company spokesperson also added that no announcement has been made about Han’s successor.

Japan rewards inmate

Japan rewards the world’s longest-serving death row inmate, Iwao Hakamada, $1.4 million in compensation after a wrongful conviction.

The Shizuoka District Court, in a decision dated Monday, said that the claimant shall be granted 217,362,500 yen, a court spokesman told AFP. The payout represents 12,500 yen ($83) for each day of the more than four decades that the inmate spent in detention.

The same court ruled in September that Hakamada was not guilty in a retrial and that police had tampered with evidence.

Hakamada had suffered “inhumane interrogations meant to force a statement (confession)” that he later withdrew, the court said at the time.

Hakamada who was a former boxer now 89 years old, was cleared of a 1966 quadruple murder case charge last year after a tireless campaign by his sister and others. He was the fifth death row inmate granted a retrial in Japan’s post-war history. All four previous cases also resulted in exonerations.

Hakamada’s legal team has said the money falls short of the pain he suffered.

“Decades of detention with the threat of execution constantly looming took a major toll on Hakamada’s mental health,” his lawyers said, describing him as living in a world of fantasy.

Former mexico police arrested

Two former Mexico police officers have been arrested over links to a suspected drug network training ground where bones, clothing and shoes were found earlier this month. The discovery of human remains at the site has caused shock in a country where murders and kidnappings are daily occurrences.

Families who are searching for some of the more than 100,000 people missing in Mexico discovered the bodies on the 5th of March at the site where forced recruits are thought to have been held.

According to Mexico attorney general’s office statement, one of the ex-police officers is accused of kidnapping a man in the western state of Jalisco. The former agent and colleagues detained the victim for a supposed search as he was riding a motorbike, before handing him over to a group who took him to the site. The man was later released from the ranch following an armed confrontation, the statement added.

Alejandro Gertz, the Attorney General promised that there would be no cover-up in the investigation, saying extensive evidence meant that the truth will come out.

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