SEOUL, Dec 15 — South Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo, spoke with US President Joe Biden by phone, Han’s office said in a statement today.

"South Korea will carry out its foreign and security policies without disruption and strive to ensure the South Korea-US alliance is maintained and developed steadfastly,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Biden told Han that the ironclad US-South Korea Alliance remains unchanged and the United States will work together with South Korea to further develop and strengthen the US-South Korea alliance as well as trilateral cooperation among South Korea, Japan and the United States, the statement added.

Prime Minister Han became South Korea’s acting president after yesterday’s impeachment of Yoon Suk-yeol.

With parliament’s impeachment vote against Yoon passed after his short-lived attempt to impose martial law, Yoon is suspended from exercising presidential powers, and the constitution requires the prime minister to take over in an acting role. — Reuters