Han Duck-soo, South Korea's Prime Minister and acting president since the ousting of former president Yoon Suk Yeol, announced his resignation this Thursday, May 1, amid growing speculation about his imminent presidential candidacy.
His departure comes just over a month before the snap elections on June 3, called after the institutional crisis stemming from Yoon's failed attempt to impose martial law in December 2024.
In a televised message, Han explained his decision as an act of responsibility in the face of the multiple crises the country is facing. "I have two paths ahead. One is to fulfill the heavy responsibility I have now. The other is to relinquish that responsibility and take on a heavier one," he declared, clearly suggesting his intention to run for the presidency. Local media confirmed that he will officially launch his campaign on Friday, May 2.
Han, 75 years old, is a veteran bureaucrat with an extensive career in public administration. He has served as Finance Minister, Trade Minister, Ambassador to the United States, and Prime Minister twice: under leftist President Roh Moo-hyun (2007–2008) and more recently with conservative Yoon.
With a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard, his supporters present him as a leader capable of facing the country's economic challenges, especially those related to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies.
However, his critics point to his lack of a solid political base, his advanced age, and his history of never having held an elected office as significant weaknesses.
Han was appointed Prime Minister by Yoon and assumed the acting presidency after his ousting in December. However, he was also briefly ousted by the opposition-dominated Parliament for failing to prevent Yoon's martial law decree and for rejecting the appointment of key judges in the Constitutional Court. He was reinstated in March by judicial decision.
