- in - Ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁armed ▁force ▁of ▁South ▁Korea ▁and ▁enjo ys ▁considerable ▁executive ▁powers . ▁ ▁The ▁president ▁appoint s ▁the ▁prime ▁minister ▁with ▁appro val ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁appoint ing ▁and ▁pres iding ▁over ▁the ▁State ▁Council ▁of ▁chief ▁minister s ▁as ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁government . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁executive ▁power ▁of ▁then ▁president ▁R oh ▁M oo - hy un ▁was ▁susp ended ▁when ▁the ▁Assembly ▁voted ▁to ▁im pe ach ▁him ▁and ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁G oh ▁Kun ▁became ▁an ▁Act ing ▁President . ▁On ▁ 1 4 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁Constitution al ▁Court ▁over turn ed ▁the ▁im pe achment ▁decision ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁Assembly ▁and ▁R oh ▁was ▁re inst ated . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Park ▁Ge un - h ye ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁president ▁to ▁be ▁removed ▁by ▁the ▁Constitution al ▁Court ▁after ▁im pe achment ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly . ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁H w ang ▁K yo - ahn ▁tempor arily ▁served ▁as ▁an ▁acting ▁president ▁between ▁the ▁susp ension ▁of ▁Park ▁from ▁ 9 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁until ▁the ▁next ▁president ial ▁election , ▁which ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁On ▁ 9 ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Moon ▁J ae - in ▁became ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁president ▁of ▁South ▁Korea