The South Korean Constitutional Court's decision to overturn the Parliament's vote to impeach President Roh Moo Hyun ended two months of political limbo in that country. With the president able to resume his duties, Seoul can make important progress on matters ranging from foreign policy to much-needed economic reform. But that depends on both parties seizing the opportunity. They may squander it yet.

Two months ago, less than a year into Mr. Roh's term, Parliament, led by the opposition Grand National Party, or GNP, voted to impeach the president. Of the three charges on the indictment, the most important was the allegation that his February comments calling for voters to support the Uri Party in the upcoming parliamentary ballot violated the law calling for executive branch officials to maintain strict neutrality. The unprecedented impeachment vote proceeded along party lines. Because of the GNP's majority, the outcome was a given as Uri Party legislators abstained. But the impeachment vote had to be approved by South Korea's Constitutional Court.

In the meantime, the parliamentary election was held and voters cast an unmistakable verdict on the president's behalf. Although only half of voters approved of Mr. Roh's policies, some 70 percent felt the impeachment proceedings were a crude attempt by the opposition to undo the presidential election. They gave Uri an absolute majority in the national assembly, humbling the GNP and letting the court know what voters thought about the move.