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Han Duck-soo meets with Assembly speaker, calls Biden on first day as acting president

Published: 15 Dec. 2024, 20:21

SARAH KIM
[email protected]

Acting President Han Duck-soo, left, holds a meeting with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Sunday, after the parliament impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol the previous day. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

In the whirlwind first 24 hours after Prime Minister Han Duck-soo became the third acting president in Korea's history, he took a series of steps to ensure swift stabilization of state affairs and diplomacy, holding talks with the U.S. president, presidential aides and the National Assembly speaker.

Han became acting president after the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law declaration, assuming the role as soon as a copy of the parliamentary resolution was delivered to the Yongsan presidential office at 7:24 p.m. Saturday. Yoon’s exercise of presidential authority was effectively suspended.

“The most important thing currently is to ensure that the security of the country and the daily lives of the people are maintained without any wavering,” Han said as he met with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik visiting the parliament in Yeouido, western Seoul, Sunday afternoon. The courtesy call came within 24 hours after he assumed the post, whereas the previous acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, visited the National Assembly five days after taking the post in 2016 after then-President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment.

“I will do my best to quickly resolve the current situation and run the state in a stable manner, holding the belief that this is the last mission of my long public life,” Han said in his meeting with Woo.

He vowed that “all decisions and actions made by the government will be in accordance with the Constitution and law” and that he would “closely consult and communicate with the National Assembly.”

Han emphasized that he hopes state affairs will quickly stabilize through cooperation between rival parties and the government.

Likewise, Woo urged the government and Assembly to work together to overcome the political turmoil after Yoon’s impeachment.

Han and Woo also exchanged opinions on a working-level consultative body related to forming a joint consultative body between the parliament and the government, as proposed by liberal Democratic Party (DP) leader Lee Jae-myung earlier that day.

Woo confirmed the need to “quickly resolve internal and external anxieties and concerns in the areas of economy, diplomacy and defense.”

He added that to this end, “the government and the National Assembly must make efforts and work together to overcome this crisis.”

Woo noted that although there are some differences of opinion, it is important for the National Assembly and the government to form a joint consultative body and operate it “as soon as possible.”

However, it remains to be seen if the conservative People Power Party, currently suffering from an internal rift following the impeachment fallout, will be on board with this plan.

Earlier, Han held a 16-minute phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden and vowed to maintain and develop the two countries' alliance, his office said in a statement.

Han assured that the Korean government will carry out its “diplomatic and security policies without disruption” and “work to ensure that the Korea-U.S. alliance continues to be maintained and developed without wavering," his office said after the call at around 7:15 a.m. Sunday.

Han underscored the importance of solidifying their combined defense posture in the face of common challenges, such as North Korea’s nuclear threat and deepening military cooperation with Russia.

He further conveyed that all state affairs in South Korea will be run strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law.

The White House later said in a statement on the call with Han that Biden “expressed his appreciation for the resiliency of democracy and the rule of law” in South Korea and reaffirmed the “ironclad commitment of the United States” to the Korean people.

It added that Biden expressed his confidence that the alliance will “remain the linchpin for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region during Acting President Han’s tenure.”

Later in the morning, Han met with presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk for an hour-long meeting to discuss detailed plans on how the presidential office would support the acting president.

Han told reporters afterward that governmental agencies under the presidential office will now support the acting president, and that Chung explained the role the presidential chief of staff will play to this end.

The meeting was also attended by Sung Tae-yoon, presidential director of national policy, and Bang Ki-sun, minister of government policy coordination under the Prime Minister's Office.

As acting president, Han can now receive briefings from the presidential office and give instructions over matters including diplomacy, security, national defense and public order.

Some of the issues could overlap with the presidential National Security Office (NSO), and Han and Chung shared their opinions on how to divide the roles. The two sides also reportedly discussed who would be in charge of the presidential office’s briefing channel.

Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo speaks to U.S. President Joe Biden in a phone call on Sunday morning. [OFFICE FOR GOVERNMENT POLICY COORDINATION]

First tasks as acting president

Han, 75, has a career in public service spanning some four decades, serving under four presidents transcending party lines.

He has served as prime minister under the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration and ambassador to the United States under the conservative Lee Myung-bak government. He was tapped as Yoon's prime minister in April 2022 because of his reputation for being able to work across the political aisle.

A native of Jeonju in North Jeolla, he graduated from Seoul National University and received his master's and doctorate degrees in economics from Harvard University.

Han was reportedly at the prime minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong in central Seoul to watch the National Assembly vote, which resulted in 204 for and 85 against in a 300-seat parliament controlled by the liberal DP.

As the parliament's impeachment vote against the president passed Saturday as a result of the short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, Yoon has been suspended from exercising presidential powers, shifting the country to an acting president system.

Article 134 of the National Assembly Act stipulates that "the person against whom a motion for impeachment has been passed shall be suspended from exercising his or her power."

On Saturday evening, Han convened an emergency Cabinet meeting, gave a televised public address and held a National Security Council (NSC) meeting.

As Han's first official duty since assuming authority, he convened a Cabinet meeting to discuss the transition to an acting president system.

He reviewed the major issues of each ministry and asked them to focus on running state affairs without faltering even under difficult political circumstances.

Han ordered all ministries and public officials to strengthen the military's readiness posture, maintain close communication channels with major countries and establish public order immediately after the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion.

"The government must do its best to prevent the public from becoming anxious or disrupting social order," despite the impeachment of Yoon, Han said.

In the security realm, Han instructed the acting defense minister to "strengthen the readiness posture of the entire military to prevent any gaps in national security and public safety, and make thorough preparations to respond immediately to all crisis situations," according to his office in a statement.

To the chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), he conveyed that "there is a possibility that North Korea may judge the domestic situation as a time of security vulnerability and attempt various forms of provocations," calling for Seoul's alert posture to be strengthened to prevent Pyongyang from "miscalculating the situation and carrying out reckless provocations." He called for the military to "maintain a firm security posture based on the South Korea-U.S. alliance."

To the foreign minister, he said to "maintain close communication channels with major countries such as Japan and China based on the solid South Korea-U.S. alliance," and called on the ministry to convey that there will be "no changes in the foreign policy stance of our government" through diplomatic missions abroad.

Han likewise said that the economic team will work closely together to "continuously operate a 24-hour monitoring system to minimize the negative impact of the political situation on the economy," and if necessary come up with a "contingency plan in a timely manner."

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Korea's acting president, makes his first public address from the government complex in Jongno District, central Seoul, Saturday, after the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against Yoon Suk Yeol. [NEWS1]

In his first public address as acting president Saturday evening, Han said at the government complex in Seoul, “As prime minister of the Republic of Korea, I feel a heavy responsibility for the situation our people currently face and the entire process that led to it. I would like to express my sincere apologies to the people.”

He stressed that “what is most important now is that there is not a single vacuum in state affairs,” noting the public anxiety and concerns due to the political situation and the difficult domestic and external conditions Korea is facing.

“We will establish a solid security posture,” Han said, adding that the Cabinet will do its best to maintain trust with the United States, Japan and other partners.

He promised to strengthen the country’s emergency economic response system to “ensure that the financial and foreign exchange markets operate smoothly.”

Han asked public officials to carry out their duties “without hesitation” to manage the government.

“We will do our best to ensure stable state administration in strict accordance with the Constitution and law so that the security of the country and the daily lives of the people are not shaken,” he said. “I believe that this is the last and most important mission of my long public life.”

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik declares that an impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk Yeol passed in the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Saturday. [NEWS1]

What remains

With the start of Korea's third acting president system since democratization, Han faces the daunting task of trying to wield authority in a more politically tense and divisive impeachment period.

Han also is being investigated in the martial law case and has been asked by police to appear for questioning. If he is removed, the next in the line of succession is Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, followed by Education Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Lee Ju-ho. However, DP chief Lee indicated he would not take steps to impeach Han in a press conference Sunday.

The Prime Minister's Office has prior experience supporting Goh Kun and Hwang Kyo-ahn as acting presidents. Goh became acting president when the late President Roh Moo-hyun was temporarily suspended from duties after an impeachment motion passed in March 2004 and Hwang when President Park Geun-hye was impeached in December 2016 and later ousted.

Goh served as acting president for 63 days, until the impeachment motion against former President Roh was dismissed by the Constitutional Court on May 14, 2004.

During this period, Roh stayed at his official residence and did not have any official activities. Hwang served as acting president until May 2017, when President Moon Jae-in took office.

Yoon has reportedly been staying at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong in Yongsan District, central Seoul. He likewise will not have to vacate the presidential residence immediately but will have to leave if the Constitutional Court upholds his impeachment.

The Constitutional Court will deliberate whether to oust Yoon from office within the next 180 days.

Under the acting presidential system, Han will have to try to maintain the uniquely presidential powers, including diplomatic authority and as military commander in chief. Political experts however point out that the current situation is much worse than at the time of Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, as this time many Cabinet members have become associated with the martial law declaration, and the military leadership is completely vacant.

BY SARAH KIM, LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]