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

The crisis gripped the southeast Asian nation after Yoon announced a short-lived martial law to subvert civilian rule in December.

He called the move necessary to “maintain order and the constitution” and confront what he called “the threat of anti-government and pro-North Korean forces.”

Lawmakers defied Yoon’s six-hour martial law on December 13 resulted in his eventual impeachment by parliament and suspension from his duties.

In February, the South Korean Prosecutors' Office issued an indictment against Yoon on charges of “rebellion” and “abuse of power” amid a wave of protests in support and against the suspended president.

Han stepped as acting president but he was himself impeached by lawmakers just weeks later over his purported involvement in the martial law debacle, plus a dispute over judicial appointments.

“The Constitutional Court has rendered a decision to reject the impeachment trial request against Han,” the court said in a statement, adding that Han's actions while in office “cannot be seen as constituting a betrayal of the people's trust indirectly granted through the president.”

The decision is effective immediately and cannot be appealed, ruling said.

Han, who immediately resumed the acting presidency, welcomed the ruling. “I believe that all citizens are clearly speaking out against the highly polarized political sphere. I think there is no place for division now. Our country's priority is to move forward” he added.