Acting President Han Duck-soo could declare election candidacy as early as next week

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Acting President Han Duck-soo could declare election candidacy as early as next week

Published: 25 Apr. 2025, 15:57 Updated: 27 Apr. 2025, 19:58

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Acting President Han Duck-soo pledges allegiance to the flag during a memorial ceremony for fallen military and police conscripts at Daejeon National Cemetery in Daejeon on April 25. [YONHAP]

Acting President Han Duck-soo is expected to declare his candidacy for the presidential election as early as next Wednesday, according to multiple government and political sources, amid growing political signals and a narrowing election timeline.

Han recently told close aides that he could no longer “avoid calls to run,” fueling speculation around a possible “late April resignation, early May candidacy” scenario.

While the Prime Minister’s Office has not officially confirmed Han’s intentions, it has also stopped denying reports related to his potential run.

“Han’s candidacy now feels less like a variable and more like a given,” one government official said.

When asked by reporters after delivering a supplementary budget speech at the National Assembly on Thursday, Han avoided a direct answer, saying only, “Thank you for your hard work.”

According to the Public Official Election Act, candidates must step down from public office at least 30 days before the election. With next Thursday falling on Labor Day and a Cabinet meeting already scheduled for Tuesday, observers say Wednesday is the most plausible date for Han to announce his resignation.

Minister of Economy and Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, center, speaks during the Korea-U.S. “2+2” high-level trade talks held at the Korean Embassy in Washington on April 25. [NEWS1]

Further complicating the calendar, an economic security strategy task force meeting related to the Korea-U.S. “2+2” high-level trade talks held Thursday is likely to be held on Monday or Tuesday.

“The optimal timeline would be for Han to resign on Wednesday and declare his candidacy on May 3,” said a People Power Party (PPP) official.

If Han chooses not to run, he could use the Tuesday Cabinet meeting to announce his decision, following the example of former Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn in 2017.

Han’s candidacy is also seen as more viable after Korea and the United States agreed to a “July package deal” during the recent 2+2 talks. There were no unexpected interventions from U.S. President Donald Trump or disruptions over defense cost-sharing, and final decisions were deferred to the next administration, easing political pressure on Han.

One legal constraint supports the Wednesday resignation theory. Han is expected to veto a bill that would bar acting presidents from nominating Constitutional Court justices during the Tuesday Cabinet meeting.

Acting President Han Duck-soo speaks during a meeting on wildfire relief at the government complex in Seoul in Jongno District, central Seoul on April 24. [NEWS1]

If he were to resign on Tuesday, the meeting would be nullified, as under civil service law, resignation takes effect from midnight, invalidating all decisions made that day.

Han’s legal team has reportedly reviewed these implications, paving the way for a scenario where he chairs the final Cabinet meeting, exercises his veto and resigns the next day to launch his campaign.

The PPP's presidential primary schedule also intersects with Han’s timeline. The party will narrow its race to two finalists on Tuesday, followed by party member voting and a public opinion poll between May 1 and 2, with the final nominee announced on May 3. If Han resigns on Wednesday, it could influence undecided voters in favor of candidates open to consolidating with Han.

“If Han enters the race, conflict over unification within the conservative bloc must be minimized,” an official from Han’s office said.

On Friday, Han attended a memorial ceremony for fallen military and police conscripts at Daejeon National Cemetery.

Acting President Han Duck-soo hugs Lee Hwa-joo, the brother of the late Private Lee Chung-joo, during a memorial ceremony for fallen military and police conscripts at Daejeon National Cemetery in Daejeon on April 25. [YONHAP]

“The government maintains a robust defense posture to respond firmly to any provocation from the North,” Han said. “Our peaceful daily lives are thanks to the dedication of Korea’s youth.”

At the event, he personally embraced Lee Hwa-joo, the brother of the late Private Lee Chung-joo, who read a letter honoring his brother.

In a Gallup Korea poll conducted between Tuesday to Thursday of 1,005 adults, Han received a 28 percent approval rating and 62 percent disapproval in terms of suitability for the presidency. He ranked second behind Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung, who had a 46 percent approval and a 49 percent disapproval rating.

Han’s support was higher than that of PPP candidates Hong Joon-pyo, who had 25 percent approval and 69 percent disapproval, Kim Moon-soo, with 24 percent approval and 66 percent disapproval, and Han Dong-hoon, who had 22 percent approval and 71 percent disapproval.

However, in a separate poll on future political leadership, Han’s support stood at 6 percent, down 1 percentage point from the previous week.

BY PARK TAE-IN [[email protected]]