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Can Han Duck-soo unite the right and win over moderates?

Published: 07 May. 2025, 18:07

LEE SOO-JUNG
[email protected]

Independent presidential candidate Han Duck-soo speaks during a debate session in central Seoul on May 6. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

[EXPLAINER]

Han Duck-soo, the former prime minister who served as acting president after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment and ouster, declared his presidential candidacy last week, risking a graceful end to his political career to seize a chance to formally ascend to head of state.

Han announced his presidential bid as an independent candidate on Friday at the National Assembly, a day after his resignation. This came after weeks of speculation over whether he would toss his hat into the ring and unite other conservative candidates.

His aspiration to serve the country for a few more years contrasts with his statement last December — after Yoon's impeachment — when he, as the acting president, said the stable management of state affairs was the “final duty” of his public career.

During his resignation remarks on May 1, Han said he was stepping down from his post to “shoulder greater responsibility” and overcome the crisis of political polarization.

Han claimed political division had hampered Korean society from engaging in reasonable discourse on geopolitical security and international trade agendas. He added that flip-flopping and pork-barrel economic policies cannot help the country secure its national interests.

“We should not let our country collapse due to irresponsible political strife,” Han said during a speech at the National Assembly on Friday, where he declared his presidential bid.

While Han appears to have branded himself as a leader capable of fixing political divisions, questions remain over his fitness for office and realistic chances for victory.

Who is Han Duck-soo?

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, center, walks out of the central government complex in Jongno District in Seoul on May 1, after announcing his resignation. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Han was born in North Jeolla, a liberal stronghold, in 1949. After graduating from Seoul National University, he received his master's and doctorate in economics from Harvard University.

He entered public service in 1970 after passing a state-run exam. He served as the first trade minister of Korea under late liberal President Kim Dae-jung. From January to July 2002, Han served as President Kim's senior presidential economic secretary. From 2007 to 2008, he served as prime minister under late liberal President Roh Moo-hyun.

Even under a conservative president, his career in public service continued. Former conservative President Lee Myung-bak appointed Han as Korean ambassador to the United States in 2009.

Han, a seasoned negotiator, is also known for his instrumental role in negotiating the Korea-U.S. FTA, which went into effect in 2012.

Between 2012 and 2022, Han worked in the private sector as chairman of the Korea International Trade Association and as an executive at a law firm and an oil company. His high salaries of around 4.3 billion won ($3.08 million) later surfaced as an obstacle during his confirmation hearing in 2022. The liberal Democratic Party (DP) rigorously grilled Han about his ability to represent the people, criticizing that his earnings were beyond the public's ability to relate to.

Han returned to state affairs as prime minister in May 2022, almost simultaneously with the inauguration of conservative President Yoon. When nominating Han, Yoon noted that he was well-respected by both parties for his ability.

What’s behind Han’s risky move?

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, left, and conservative People Power Party Rep. Choo Kyung-ho enter the National Assembly building to declare Han's presidential candidacy on May 2 in western Seoul. [NEWS1]

This marks the first time in Korean history that an incumbent acting president and prime minister voluntarily resigned to run for the presidential office.

When former conservative President Park Geun-hye was ousted in March 2017, then-acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn did not run for president.

On Sunday, the conservative People Power Party (PPP) — which backed impeached President Yoon — favored bringing Han into the party. The PPP is pushing Han and its presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo, to merge their presidential campaigns by no later than Sunday, the deadline for presidential candidate registration.

Kim, a former labor minister from the Yoon administration, won the PPP primaries last Saturday, beating runner-up former PPP chief Han Dong-hoon, while Han Duck-soo did not compete.

Over the last few days, Kim has shown an unyielding attitude toward a merger, accusing the PPP leadership of infringing on his rights as a presidential candidate. Kim warned the PPP leadership to "stop meddling with the campaign merger" on Tuesday.

Conservative People Power Party presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, center, tells reporters he will cancel his daily campaigning schedule in North Gyeongsang, citing PPP leadership's push to merge his campaign with that of former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on May 6. [YONHAP]

Political experts said PPP lawmakers drove Han to become a presidential candidate.

Prof. Kim Bum-soo, a political scientist from Seoul National University and chair of the Korean Political Science Association, said that the current PPP presidential candidate, Kim, is insufficiently representative. He noted that conservatives who supported Yoon’s ouster largely dislike Kim due to his defense of Yoon during the impeachment.

“While there was no call within the party to make Hwang a presidential candidate in 2017, this time, the so-called pro-Yoon faction in the PPP appears to have invited Han, possibly in hopes of being nominated in the upcoming local and general elections,” Prof. Kim added.

Yoon Jong-bin, a professor of Myongji University’s political science department, said the PPP seems “less sensitive” about the ramifications of the presidential impeachment because they experienced it in 2017.

“While Park’s impeachment was felt as a hefty punishment and political pressure, this is the second time, so the party appears to feel less political pressure,” Prof. Yoon said.

What are Han’s presidential campaign promises?

Independent presidential candidate and former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, right, shakes hands with former liberal Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon during their luncheon in central Seoul on May 6. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

On Friday, Han outlined three main objectives for his presidency: constitutional reform, resolution of trade and tariff issues and national unity.

Han said he would complete constitutional reform to weaken the president's power by the second year of his term. He also promised to immediately step down from the presidency after the simultaneous presidential election and general election in his third year.

His pledge draws a contrast between himself and liberal DP presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, who took a step backward regarding constitutional reform. During an intraparty presidential debate last month, Lee cautioned that constitutional reform shouldn't be undertaken "hastily" since "it is not directly related to public livelihood.”

Korea’s Constitution has remained unchanged for 38 years since its 1987 amendment. It has been criticized for giving extensive authority to the president, especially in the aftermath of ex-President Yoon's imposition of martial law on Dec. 3.

Han said he would propose a general direction of constitutional reform to uphold the separation of powers, while leaving the specifics to parliamentarians and the Korean people. He added that reform should let the president and the Assembly share power in a state of “checks and balances” and prevent the legislature and judiciary from influencing each other.

Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo talks on the phone with U.S. President Donald Trump at the central government complex in Seoul on April 8, when Han served as the acting president. [OFFICE FOR GOVERNMENT POLICY COORDINATION, PRIME MINISTER'S SECRETARIAT]

He also promised to resolve tariff and trade issues, noting his phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on April 8, where he vowed to find solutions based on a "solid Korea-U.S. alliance."

Mentioning his decades-long experience in public service in his address to the Assembly on Friday, he said, “I have done this work [referring to trade negotiations], and I assure you that I am the most capable person.”

Han also extended campaign pledges to the public-at-large and social minorities. He promised to improve medical services and provide meticulous child care support and reliable care for older people.

“I am a president with economic insight [...] and a person who would progress forward instead of left or right and who will step down after keeping my promises,” Han said on Friday.

Does Han pose a challenge for DP’s Lee Jae-myung?

Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, left, shakes hands with former Prime Minister and presidential candidate Han Duck-soo during a Buddhist ceremony held at Jogye Temple in central Seoul on May 5. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Even before Han declared his candidacy, the liberal DP had been wary of his presidential bid.

The DP labeled Han a “right-hand man of insurrection," referring to impeached President Yoon’s imposition of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. Judging by the party's rhetoric, the DP views Han as a continuity of Yoon. A day before Han’s resignation, DP spokesperson Rep. Jo Seoung-lae likened Han’s potential presidential term to the “second season of Yoon Suk Yeol” during a press conference at the National Assembly.

On Monday, the DP lambasted the PPP, calling the potential merger of Han and Kim a collusion of the far-right and insurrectionists. The liberal party said neither Han nor Kim deserves a chance to run in the presidential election.

Public polls and political experts say Han’s reach and appeal could be limited.

According to a public poll by Gallup Korea on Tuesday, the approval rating of the DP’s Lee stood at 47 percent, far ahead of other presidential hopefuls — Han, Kim and Lee Jun-seok from the minor conservative splinter Reform Party. Even premised on a merger with Kim, Han's approval rating was just 36 percent, while Lee's was 49 percent.

Prof. Yoon said whether swing voters and moderates — critical of the martial law declaration — would support Han is questionable. Those voters believe Han is still “politically responsible” for martial law and Yoon’s impeachment, according to the professor.

He noted that Han has not yet detached himself from Yoon's martial law imposition and impeachment, necessary for expanding his reach to moderates.

The professor added that Han’s previous work experience with liberal presidents would not help him in the upcoming election, as today’s liberal supporters view him as “a joint force with Yoon Suk Yeol.” He also said Han should have competed in the PPP primaries if he were to have procedural legitimacy, criticizing how he made the primaries perfunctory.

Presidential candidates clockwise from top left: the liberal Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung, the conservative People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo, independent candidate Han Duck-soo and the Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok [JOONGANG ILBO]

Another political science professor, Jeong Hoi-ok from Myongji University, said some conservatives and moderates would vote for the candidate from the Reform Party, making the election a three-way race.

"If the PPP’s candidate came up with an appropriate catchphrase and set a proper agenda, they could attract many conservatives and moderates,” Prof. Jeong said. “However, this might be challenging.”

Prof. Kim said Han would likely target swing voters who dislike the DP candidate Lee.

“Han Duck-soo could stand a better chance than other PPP presidential hopefuls — Kim Moon-soo and Han Dong-hoon — in uniting the pro- and anti-impeachment factions among conservatives,” Prof. Kim said. Han Dong-hoon supported impeaching Yoon and was later defeated by Kim Moon-soo in the PPP primaries.

“In elections, personal charm also matters,” Prof. Kim said. “Given the short time until the election, it is difficult to predict whether Han Duck-soo will be able to present his personal appeal and absorb anti-Lee Jae-myung votes from moderates and unite conservatives.”

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]