By Joyce Lee
SEOUL (Reuters) – Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who was ousted as South Korea’s acting president on Friday, is a career technocrat whose wealth of experience and reputation for rationality have failed to shield him from growing political turmoil.
Since parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on December 14 following his short-lived declaration of martial law on December 3, Yoon’s exercise of presidential powers was suspended as Han took over as acting president.
“It is the honor of my life that I could serve the people with all my might,” Han said after parliament voted by a majority of 192 out of 300 to impeach him.
Han will suspend his duties in order to reduce uncertainty and wait for the Constitutional Court’s decision on whether he will also be removed from office, he added in the press release.
Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok now assumes the role of acting president, in accordance with the law.
In a country sharply divided by party rhetoric, Han was a rare example of an official whose varied career transcended party lines.
He faced the challenging task of keeping the government functioning through the worst political crisis in four decades, while also battling threats from nuclear-armed neighbor North Korea and a slowing economy at home.
However, his term as acting president was cut short as the main opposition Democratic Party, which controls parliament, voted to impeach Han on Friday, also due to an appointment fight at the Constitutional Court.
The move comes as South Korea is still grappling with Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law, which he blamed in part on the opposition’s tendency to impeach government officials.
Han, 75, has held leadership positions for more than three decades under five presidents, both conservative and liberal.
His roles varied from Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Trade to Presidential Secretary for Policy Coordination, in addition to serving as Ambassador to the United States and the OECD and leading think-tanks and organizations.
With a doctorate in economics from Harvard, Han’s expertise in economics, trade and diplomacy, as well as a reputation for rationality, moderation and hard work, have made him a common man in South Korean politics.
Han has been prime minister since Yoon’s term began in 2022, his second term in the role after serving under former President Roh Moo-hyun in 2007-2008.
“He has served in key positions in state affairs solely through the recognition of his skills and expertise, independent of political factions,” Yoon said when appointing Han in 2022, echoing descriptions used when previous administrations tapped him.
Han has experience working with South Korea’s key ally the United States, having been deeply involved in the process of signing the US-South Korea Free Trade Agreement.
(NASDAQ:) Fluent in English, he was appointed South Korea’s ambassador to the United States in 2009, serving in Washington while current US President Joe Biden was vice president, and helped get Congress to approve a free trade agreement in 2011.
“He is a civil servant through and through, who has not taken on a political color despite having served under (five presidents),” said a former high-ranking government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Han’s tenure as president was expected to last for months, until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove Yoon or restore his powers. If Yoon is removed, a presidential election must be held in 60 days.
South Korea’s constitution does not say how much authority the acting president has to perform in that role.
Most scholars say he can have limited powers to avoid paralysis of state affairs, but not more, although some say he can exercise all presidential powers, since the constitution does not set limits.
