Ruling party leader says PM will handle state affairs amid criticism over his potential role after scrapped impeachment of Yoon

Ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon on Sunday said Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will manage state affairs following the scrapped impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol amid growing criticism over the announcement that the party and the government would jointly manage state affairs.

Han, the leader of the ruling People Power Party, made the remark after the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea leveled sharp criticism at him and the prime minister over the announcement that they will work together to manage state affairs.

They said Yoon will no longer be involved in state affairs, including diplomacy, and there will be preparations for his "early and orderly" exit.

"The party leader cannot exercise state authority," Han told reporters. "The prime minister will handle them, and of course, there will be close consultations between the party and the government."

Han also said "an orderly resignation" is a better option than impeachment, which carries a lot of uncertainties.

"There is considerable uncertainty as to whether it will pass and what decision the Constitutional Court will make ... extreme political confusion is expected, so an orderly and early resignation is a better option," he said.

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung blasted the decision as an act of "destroying the constitutional order," calling the idea of the ruling party and the prime minister managing the country together "bizarre," considering the president is still in office. (Yonhap)