This Saturday, Han Duck-Soo became South Korea’s acting President after the impeachment of Yoon Suk Yeol due to his attempt to declare a short martial law. In his first speech, Han promised to make sure that there would be no gaps in the government and that his team would work hard to keep the trust of important allies, especially the United States and Japan.
So, who is this Han Duck-Soo?
Han is a 75-year-old expert who has worked in the government for over thirty years and has experience helping both conservative and liberal leaders. He has had many important jobs, like being the finance minister and even the ambassador to the OECD. He was crucial in signing the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement because he speaks English very well and helped the U.S. Congress agree to it.
Notably, Han was also on the board of S-Oil, a major oil company connected to Saudi Aramco. Former President Yoon praised Han for his abilities, saying he was chosen for his skills and not because of any political ties.
However, Han is also under scrutiny. Investigators looking into former President Yoon are checking Han’s involvement in the recent martial law issues. Some experts believe Han’s time as acting president may be affected by these investigations.
Han will lead the country until the Constitutional Court decides whether to officially remove Yoon or let him remain in power. If the court removes Yoon, a new presidential election will have to happen within 60 days.
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