Why acting President Han Duck-soo spoke to foreign media amid election buzz
Acting President Han Duck-soo, right, speaks during an interview with the Financial Times at Government Complex Seoul, April 17. Courtesy of the Prime Minister’s Office
As Korea's political scene heats up ahead of the presidential election, an unexpected spotlight has fallen on foreign media. Acting President Han Duck-soo further fueled speculation over his potential candidacy with an interview in the Financial Times (FT), published on April 20.
In the interview, Han responded to a question about his presidential ambitions by saying he had "not yet" made a decision, and when pushed on whether he was considering a bid, he said: "No comment."
In politics, a "no comment" is often interpreted as a "yes." Following the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, some figures within the People Power Party and the broader conservative camp have actively encouraged Han to run.
According to insiders, Han is expected to announce his decision soon. Ultimately, he chose to hint at his position for the first time not through domestic media but through a foreign outlet.
The choice raises questions. Why did Han choose to speak to foreign media? It is unlikely that his background as a former ambassador to the United States and economic affairs official simply made him partial to Western outlets.
Korean presidents have long shown a fondness for foreign media. Yoon, for instance, gave around 30 interviews to foreign outlets during his two years and seven months in office.
While many of these interviews took place during overseas trips, Yoon was notable for his active use of foreign media even outside of official visits.
Yoon gave his first post-election interview to The Washington Post and his first after inauguration to CNN. Ahead of the highly controversial Korea-Japan summit in March 2023, he spoke to Japan’s Yomiuri and Asahi newspapers. Around the time of his state visit to the United States in April of that year, he sat for interviews with Reuters, The Washington Post and NBC.
Although no one opposes communication itself, the problem lies in the choice of channel. During his time in office, Yoon gave just one domestic media interview — with the conservative daily Chosun Ilbo during his second year.
As a result, Koreans often had to infer the president’s views through foreign media.
For example, during the 2023 summit with Japan, Yoon told the Yomiuri Shimbun that Korea’s forced labor compensation plan would not be overturned by a future administration, that the 2018 Supreme Court ruling against Japanese firms conflicted with the 1965 Korea-Japan Claims Settlement Agreement and that he understood Japan’s plan to expand its counterstrike capabilities.
Korean audiences also learned of Yoon’s stances on sensitive topics like weapons support for Ukraine and Taiwan issues through interviews with U.S. outlets.
This was not unique to Yoon; former Presidents Moon Jae-in and Park Geun-hye similarly favored interviews with foreign media over domestic outlets.
Former President Yoon Suk Yeol sits for an interview with NBC in Washington during his state visit to the United States on April 24, 2023. Courtesy of the presidential office
Reasons behind preference for foreign media
According to former presidential aides, this pattern has two main reasons. First, they say that interviews with domestic media are virtually impossible due to intense competition among outlets.
While Yoon and Moon did grant one or two interviews to local media, the frequency paled in comparison to foreign interviews.
One former aide said, "Presidents often see interviews with American media as an opportunity to elevate the nation's prestige," adding, "Discussing diplomatic issues, which seem more dignified, is also less stressful than facing sharp domestic criticisms."
While this may sound polished, it essentially reflects a preference for handling diplomatic topics — where discussion tends to stay within a predictable range — over facing hard-hitting questions on domestic issues.
Another former official pointed out that from a national interest perspective, it can be important to communicate clearly through major foreign media in the target country’s language, even if occasional controversies arise or headlines do not perfectly align with their intentions.
Returning to Han’s case, government officials say he feels somewhat misunderstood regarding the FT interview. According to one official, the reporter repeatedly raised questions linking Han’s political plans to broader diplomatic negotiations, such as trade talks with the United States.
While Han agreed on the significance of the talks, the interviewer allegedly continued pressing him on the topic, suggesting that a new president might overturn agreements or that the negotiations could collapse. In this context, officials argue that Han’s "no comment" at the time was not intended as political language but as a genuine refusal to answer.
This explanation seems plausible. Still, the full meaning behind Han’s remarks will become clearer once he officially announces his decision.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.