{"id":2207552,"date":"2024-12-17T13:11:29","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T04:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2207552"},"modified":"2024-12-17T13:11:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T04:11:29","slug":"han-duck-soo-seasoned-technocrat-faces-his-toughest-test-as-acting-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/12\/han-duck-soo-seasoned-technocrat-faces-his-toughest-test-as-acting-president\/","title":{"rendered":"Han Duck-soo: Seasoned technocrat faces his toughest test as acting president"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Korea\u2019s new Acting President Han Duck-soo faces his most challenging role yet after assuming presidential powers following the National Assembly\u2019s impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Han must now navigate a deeply polarized political climate, manage domestic crises and fend off questions about his possible role in the controversial martial law declaration that preceded Yoon\u2019s impeachment.<\/span><\/p>\n

The transition comes at a precarious moment. South Korea faces an extended standoff with doctors, a dim economic outlook and heightened uncertainties following Donald Trump\u2019s impending return to the U.S. presidency, all of which will test Han\u2019s ability to steady the country through its third presidential impeachment-triggered leadership transition since democratization.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Han\u2019s political career mirrors the adaptability of South Korea\u2019s elite bureaucracy. Over five decades, he has served under five different administrations \u2014 progressive and conservative alike \u2014 holding posts from trade negotiator to prime minister, ambassador and institutional leader.<\/span><\/p>\n

His extensive experience has earned him praise for bureaucratic competence and economic expertise but also criticism for a series of political missteps during Yoon\u2019s presidency.<\/span><\/p>\n

FROM BUREAUCRAT TO STATESMAN<\/b><\/p>\n

Han began his career in 1970 after passing the Public Administration Examination, joining the Economic Planning Board under the authoritarian rule of Park Chung-hee. Following military service as a conscript at Army Headquarters, he returned to the board to work on economic cooperation initiatives that laid the groundwork for South Korea\u2019s rapid industrialization.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the Chun Doo-hwan military dictatorship of the 1980s, Han transitioned to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry \u2014 now the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy \u2014 serving as America division chief and industrial policy director.<\/span><\/p>\n

His trajectory paused briefly as he pursued doctoral studies in economics at Harvard University, returning to South Korea to take on senior roles in economic policymaking.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under Roh Tae-woo\u2019s government, Han rose to prominence as director general of the Small and Medium Enterprise Bureau and later the Industrial Policy Bureau. He helped modernize South Korea\u2019s industrial policies during its early democratization, establishing his reputation as a capable technocrat.<\/span><\/p>\n

Han continued to rise under the Kim Young-sam administration in the 1990s, holding roles including presidential secretary for trade and industry and commissioner of the Intellectual Property Office. His responsibilities included overseeing South Korea\u2019s accession to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and managing trade relations with Japan.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under Lee Myung-bak, Han\u2019s experience in trade policy earned him an appointment as ambassador to the U.S., a role critical to advancing U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) negotiations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Han chaired the Korea International Trade Association during the Park Geun-hye administration. In this position, he oversaw trade promotion initiatives and worked on expanding market access for South Korean companies.<\/span><\/p>\n

The appointments under the Lee and Park administrations followed his earlier tenure as prime minister under Roh Moo-hyun, marking Han as one of the rare figures to serve at the highest levels of both progressive and conservative governments.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Then-President Lee Myung-bak appoints Han Duck-soo as ambassador to the U.S., Feb. 26, 2009 | Image: KTV Archives<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

UNDER PROGRESSIVE ADMINISTRATIONS<\/b><\/p>\n

In the Kim Dae-jung administration, Han served as the first head of trade negotiations at the newly established Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade \u2014 now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<\/span><\/p>\n

He played a key role in initiating discussions for the KORUS FTA and led negotiations for South Korea\u2019s FTA with Chile, which marked a milestone in the country\u2019s trade policy.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, his tenure ended in 2002 following the so-called <\/span>garlic dispute<\/span><\/a> with China. A confidential agreement exchanging mobile phone import approvals for garlic import quotas became public, forcing Han to resign as presidential economic secretary amid controversy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under the Roh Moo-hyun administration from 2003 to 2008, Han returned to public service as head of the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade before holding several critical positions, including minister of government policy coordination, deputy prime minister and minister of finance and economy.<\/span><\/p>\n

As deputy prime minister, Han oversaw real estate market reforms and financial sector regulations during a period of economic transition. He later became Roh\u2019s final prime minister in 2007, a role in which he managed critical inter-Korean engagements, including the 2007 inter-Korean summit and prime ministerial talks with North Korea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Han also played a key role in advancing the KORUS FTA negotiations during this time.<\/span><\/p>\n

YOON ADMINISTRATION<\/b><\/p>\n

As Yoon Suk-yeol\u2019s first \u2014 and most likely last \u2014 prime minister, Han focused on major diplomatic and economic initiatives.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, he held a high-profile meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the most senior contact between the two nations since Yoon took office. Han also worked to repair strained ROK-Japan relations and led delegations to African and Nordic countries to support South Korea\u2019s ultimately unsuccessful World Expo 2030 bid.<\/span><\/p>\n

Domestically, Han faced mounting challenges, including overseeing the government\u2019s response to the 2023 Saemangeum World Scout Jamboree, which was marred by severe operational issues and drew international criticism. Despite emergency measures, Han faced backlash for perceived failures in leadership.<\/span><\/p>\n

Han\u2019s role in pushing for regulatory reforms, including chairing the Regulatory Innovation Strategy Meeting, sought to streamline South Korea\u2019s complex business environment, though the results remain mixed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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President Yoon Suk-yeol meets with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo for their weekly lunch meeting, Aug. 8, 2022 | Image: ROK Presidential Office<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

CONTROVERSIES AND CRITICISM<\/b><\/p>\n

Despite his extensive experience, Han\u2019s tenure as Yoon\u2019s prime minister has been dogged by controversy.<\/span><\/p>\n

His response to the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush drew widespread condemnation, particularly his suggestion that a survivor who eventually committed suicide reflected \u201ca lack of firmness of mind\u201d rather than systemic failures.<\/span><\/p>\n

The opposition also accused him of historical revisionism after he omitted references to \u201cdictatorship\u201d in a speech commemorating South Korea\u2019s pro-democracy movements.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) successfully passed a dismissal motion against Han in Sept. 2023 \u2014 the first such motion against a prime minister in South Korean constitutional history. However, Yoon did not accept the motion to dismiss Han.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the most significant controversy surrounds Han\u2019s role in the Dec. 3 martial law declaration. While he claims he opposed the measure, opposition parties have accused him of complicity in what they describe as an attempted coup. Police investigations have since named him a person of interest, further undermining his credibility as acting president.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, Han\u2019s premature announcement with then-ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon to exclude Yoon from power \u2014 days before the National Assembly\u2019s formal impeachment \u2014 sparked accusations of disregarding constitutional processes.<\/span><\/p>\n

A DELICATE TRANSITION<\/b><\/p>\n

As acting president, Han must navigate a narrow path forward. While the opposition Democratic Party has pledged not to pursue his impeachment \u201cfor now,\u201d it has warned him against overstepping his authority. DP leader Lee Jae-myung emphasized the need for administrative stability, signaling conditional cooperation during this transitional period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Han\u2019s ability to steady the country will depend on leveraging his decades-long experience and building relationships across the political aisle \u2014 a task made more difficult by the lingering questions surrounding his role in Yoon\u2019s martial law declaration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Early signs suggest potential for cooperation, with Han pledging to \u201clower the government\u2019s posture\u201d and work closely with the National Assembly.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, unless Han can distance himself from the martial law allegations and avoid further political missteps, his acting presidency risks being remembered as a period of division and distrust rather than stability.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and then-People Power Party leader Han Dong-hoon hold a joint press conference, Dec. 8, 2024 | Image: People Power Party<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

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BIO: HAN DUCK-SOO (\ud55c\ub355\uc218, \u97d3\u60b3\u6d19)<\/b><\/p>\n

Age:<\/b> 75, born June 18, 1949, in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province<\/span><\/p>\n

Family:<\/b> Married to Choi A-young, an oil painter. No children.<\/span><\/p>\n

Education:<\/b><\/p>\n