Acting President of South Korea, Han Duck-soo, resigned on Thursday, announcing that he will run in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for June 3.
Han made the announcement during a press briefing at the government complex in Seoul. This ended weeks of speculation about whether he would enter the race, which was triggered by the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Han said he had thought deeply about the responsibility and decided that if this was the only way forward, he had to take it. According to Yonhap news agency, Han’s statement reflected the seriousness of the situation in the country.
Han is seen as a strong conservative candidate who could face Lee Jae-myung, the presidential nominee from the liberal Democratic Party. His entry into the race is expected to lead to talks of a possible merger with the conservative People Power Party (PPP).
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The PPP will choose its presidential candidate on Saturday. The final two PPP contenders, former party leader Han Dong-hoon and former Labour Minister Kim Moon-soo, have both said they are open to working with Han Duck-soo.
The presidential election was scheduled for June 3 after the Constitutional Court upheld the impeachment of President Yoon. He was removed from office after trying to impose martial law in December, which shocked the country and increased political tensions. Under South Korean law, a new election must be held within 60 days of a presidential vacancy.
The government also announced that June 3 will be a temporary public holiday. The National Election Commission started early candidate registration soon after the court’s decision. All candidates must register by May 11, and official campaigning will begin on May 12.
As per the law, any government official who wants to run for president must resign at least 30 days before the election. This means May 4 is the last day for such resignations. The new President will take office immediately after the election, without a transition period.
Yoon Suk Yeol, who rose quickly from being a top prosecutor to becoming President, is now the second South Korean President to be removed from office. His removal follows that of Park Geun-hye in 2017, who was impeached over a corruption scandal. Just like in 2017, the early election this time is also being held exactly 60 days after the court’s ruling.
