S. Korea acting leader Han resigns to ‘take on bigger responsibility’ amid talk of presidential run

SEOUL – South Korean Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo resigned on May 1, citing his need “to take on bigger responsibility”, amid expectations that he will soon announce his intention to run in the presidential election on June 3.

“Respected citizens, I stand here to deliver my decision on an issue that I’ve been deeply deliberating. I have decided to step down from my roles as acting president and prime minister,” Mr Han said in a televised public speech aired in the afternoon.

Though he did not directly say that he plans to declare his presidential candidacy, he said that he has decided “to take on a bigger responsibility by stepping down” from his current roles.

The responsibility involves helping South Korea overcome the security and economic risks the export-reliant economy now faces, including the shift in the global trade order, according to Mr Han.

On his last day in office on May 1, he presided over a ministerial-level meeting on national security issues in the morning.

At the meeting, he highlighted the importance of maintaining strong national security to high-ranking security officials, including National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik and Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, while expressing concerns about risks stemming from North Korea’s advancing ties with Russia.

Signs of Mr Han gearing up to declare a bid for the presidency have been reported in recent days, backed by reports of officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and the presidential office joining what would be his election campaign.

Mr Son Young-taek, Mr Han’s former chief aide and secretary, were among the officials, reports said.

Mr Han’s team has reportedly set up a campaign office in Yeouido, western Seoul.

Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, who was the country’s acting president and acting prime minister from Dec 27 to March 24, when Mr Han was impeached and suspended from his duties by the opposition-led National Assembly, will assume the role of acting president as required by law.

Mr Han is expected to declare his candidacy on May 2.

The main liberal Democratic Party of Korea denounced Mr Han’s potential bid for presidency as a selfish move selling out national interests.

Representative Kim Min-seok, who is on the Democratic Party’s Supreme Council, said during a press briefing held in front of the Government Complex Seoul that Mr Han “finally revealed his true intentions”.

Mr Kim pointed to the recent mass resignation of Mr Han’s aides, calling Mr Han’s likely candidacy a plan engineered through “abusing” his power as a public servant to prepare for election, which is subject to criminal punishment.

Observers say Mr Han’s potential presidential bid could push the remaining two contenders vying for the conservative People Power Party’s nomination for the presidential election to throw in their towel to back Mr Han as their candidate.

Mr Han could either enter the presidential race as an independent conservative candidate or partner the winner of the People Power Party’s ongoing primary race.

With former People Power Party chair Han Dong-hoon and former Employment and Labour Minister Kim Moon-soo competing for the party’s nomination, the winner will be announced during a party convention scheduled for May 3.

In a survey jointly conducted by Korea Research and three other firms, which asked respondents “who is the most appropriate to become the next president”, Mr Han Duck-soo ranked No. 2 with 13 per cent, trailing behind Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung with 42 per cent.

Mr Han Dong-hoon saw 9 per cent, while Mr Kim had 6 per cent. The survey, released on May 1, involved 1,000 respondents aged 18 or older.

Mr Han Duck-soo, 75, is a career technocrat who had served as prime minister under former president Yoon Suk Yeol since May 2022. He has held the prime minister’s office twice, as he previously held the role from April 2007 to February 2008 under the Roh Moo-hyun administration.

He has served in key leadership positions under five different presidents. Besides prime minister, his roles have ranged from ambassador to the United States, finance minister, trade minister, presidential secretary for policy coordination and ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Mr Han studied economics at Seoul National University, and earned his master’s and doctorate in economics from Harvard University. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK