South Korea’s acting president, Han Duck-soo, is facing increasing pressure to run in the coming snap presidential election, with a recent poll indicating he could be a strong contender among conservative voters.
The 75-year-old career technocrat, who has served as prime minister under both conservative and liberal administrations, has not yet declared whether he will run in the June 3 election, which was triggered by the impeachment of former conservative president Yoon Suk-yeol.
With all eight declared presidential contenders from the conservative People Power Party (PPP) trailing significantly behind liberal front runner Lee Jae-myung, many within the party are urging Han to enter the race.
“Han has emerged as a wild card for the PPP as it struggles to find a viable candidate capable of defeating Lee,” said Choi Jin, head of the Institute for Presidential Leadership think tank.
According to Choi, many conservatives view Han as a reliable leader capable of guiding the country through a transitional phase and providing stability. “With his background as a trade negotiator and former ambassador to the US, he is also seen as someone who can effectively deal with Washington on tariff and trade issues,” Choi told This Week in Asia.
A Harvard-educated economist with both a master’s and doctorate in economics, Han has built a bipartisan reputation for his expertise in diplomacy, trade, and administration.
