Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
More signs point to acting president entering June 3 election race
Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo hugs a bereaved family member during an event held to commemorate soldiers and police officers killed while on duty at Daejeon National Cemetery, Friday. Newsis
By Jung Min-ho
Impact of Han's bid would be limited: experts
Speculation is growing that acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo may run in the upcoming presidential election, as his recent actions resemble those of a president preparing for a major political event.
On Thursday, Han gave a budget policy speech at the National Assembly ― the first by an acting head of state since 1979.
On Friday, he shed tears as he consoled the bereaved families of soldiers and police officers killed while on duty, during an event at the Daejon National Cemetery, where he also called for a strong defense posture against any North Korean provocation.
In recent weeks, he also visited automakers and shipbuilders, held an economic task force meeting with the heads of the nation's top conglomerates and visited the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, to emphasize the alliance.
Han has neither confirmed nor denied that he will run for president, despite continuous questions and speculation. Under the relevant election laws, if he is to join the race, he is required to resign from his current post by May 4.
Speaking to The Korea Times, experts said Han's recent political moves, including his accelerated efforts to secure a trade deal with Washington, are a clear indication that he is considering that option. But given his tarnished image as the No. 2 official in the impeached Yoon Suk Yeol government and his lack of a support base as a politician, the impact of his bid would be limited, they added.
“I think he is likely to announce his bid soon,” Hong Hyeong-sik, a political analyst who runs Hangil Research, a pollster, told The Korea Times. “If he does, Han would immediately seek a united opposition with whoever wins the People Power Party’s (PPP) nomination against the Democratic Party of Korea’s (DPK) candidate.”
Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, center, shakes hands with Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the conservative People Power Party, one of the lawmakers who strongly opposed the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, at the National Assembly in Seoul, Thursday. Newsis
But the fundamental problem of Han’s potential candidacy is that he was and still is not free from the influence of Yoon and his acolytes, experts said.
“That’s because he has no faction of politicians who would firmly support him, given his lack of experience in politics. The only group that would back him is those who loyally supported Yoon,” Hong said, adding that a majority of voters, particularly swing voters, would not want that. “He may improve his image by promising, for example, politically-neutral bureaucrats like himself would lead his administration. But I doubt he would make such a move.”
It is also possible that Han may forgo a possible bid, according to Lee Joon-han, a professor of political science at Incheon National University.
“If Han thinks he would have a chance to win, he would definitely announce his bid. But for now, at least, that chance looks slim,” Lee said. “I think he would wait a little longer to see if it would be worthwhile.”
According to a poll released on Friday by Newsis and conducted from Wednesday to Thursday by Ace Research and Consulting, only 30.5 percent of the respondents said they would support Han’s decision to join the race, while 61.3 percent said they would not.
Among those who identified themselves as supporters of the conservative PPP, the rate was 60.4 percent. It was particularly high —71.7 percent — among supporters of Kim Moon-soo, who is considered the most hardline among the four contenders currently competing to secure the PPP's nomination.
In another survey released the same day, conducted from Tuesday to Thursday by Gallup Korea, in a hypothetical contest between Han and Lee Jae-myung, the leading DPK contender, only 38 percent of the respondents said they would support Han, while 53 percent said they would cast their ballots for Lee.
In a hypothetical three-way contest with Lee Jun-seok of the self-styled conservative Reform Party, 49 percent said they would support the DPK politician over Han (31 percent) and Lee Jun-seok (10 percent).
The polls have a 95-percent confidence level with a sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Details are available on the website of the National Election Commission's poll review committee.