Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo resigned from his post on Thursday, clearing the path for his widely anticipated presidential candidacy, Bloomberg reports.
The move comes just days before the legal deadline for public officials to relinquish their positions if they intend to run for the presidency. Han is expected to formally announce his candidacy and register as a preliminary candidate on Friday.
“I have made the final decision to step down from my position in order to do what I can, and what I must — to help our nation overcome the crisis we face,” Han declared in a televised address.
His announcement follows the Supreme Court’s ruling that leading presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung violated election law, sending the case back to the high court for sentencing. This decision has cast a significant shadow over Lee’s campaign.
Han, a seasoned technocrat and public servant, enters the race as the ruling People Power Party (PPP) grapples with internal divisions following the removal of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon’s dismissal for attempting to invoke martial law triggered the snap June 3rd election and left the conservative party fractured, allowing opposition candidate Lee to take a commanding lead in opinion polls.
Han, 75, plans to leverage his extensive experience as a former finance minister, top trade negotiator, and ambassador to the United States to garner party support and appeal to moderate voters. During his time as acting president, he maintained a steady hand amidst a turbulent period, even engaging in a phone call with US President Donald Trump to discuss trade matters.
Recent polls indicate a rise in support for Han within the PPP, although he still lags behind Lee, the former leader of the Democratic Party. With the PPP primary concluding on Saturday, party officials are working to consolidate support behind Han in a bid to prevent a Lee victory. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether Han can successfully unite the fractured party and mount a serious challenge to Lee’s front-runner status.
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