South Korea has sworn in a new acting leader; its third acting President in less than six months.
Education Minister Lee Ju-ho was appointed acting leader on Friday, May 2, 2025.
It follows after Prime Minister Han Duck-soo stepped down to run in the June 3 snap election to replace impeached ex-leader Yoon Suk-yeol.
As he was appointed acting leader on Friday, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho pledged to ensure “stability.” “I will try my best to ensure government functions are managed stably,” he told reporters.
Next month’s election was called after Yoon, a former prosecutor-turned-conservative politician, was removed from office over his shock declaration of martial law in December.
While Yoon’s declaration lasted less than six hours before being voted down by South Korea’s legislature, the political uncertainty and chaos it unleashed continues to reverberate nearly six months later.
Han, 75, took over as acting president following Yoon’s impeachment on December 14, before he was himself impeached and replaced by Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok.
In March, the Constitutional Court overturned Han’s impeachment, restoring him to the role of acting leader.
A veteran politician and bureaucrat, Han has served as Prime Minister in both liberal and conservative administrations, as well as doing stints as Trade Minister, Finance Minister, and Ambassador to the United States.
While not affiliated with a political party, Han is expected to ally with Yoon’s conservative People Power Party.
He said his campaign platform would focus on limiting the power of the executive and amending the constitution to add more checks and balances.
Following Han’s announcement, the Democratic Party accused him of abandoning his duties as a caretaker leader.
Democratic Party spokesperson Noh Jong-myun said, “We warn former Prime Minister Han. Don’t hide your greed with a lie that you are running for the people.”
Critics argue Han is capitalising on the high visibility he gained during Yoon’s impeachment to boost his presidential chances.
They also accuse him of using his brief tenure to polish his public image – highlighting progress in US-Korea tariff negotiations and defence ties.
A More Uncertain Election Race
The appointment of a new acting President came as Han’s candidacy injected more uncertainty into an election race that has been upended by doubts over the eligibility of the left-leaning frontrunner, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party.
Han told a news conference at the National Assembly on Friday, “I’ve determined to find what I can do for the future of the Republic of Korea that I love and for all of us.”
He asserted that he would try his utmost to be chosen by “the people at this presidential election.”
On Thursday, the Supreme Court overturned Lee Jae-myung’s acquittal on election law violations, sending the case back to a lower court.
If his conviction is upheld before the election, Lee, who has dominated polls for months, would be disqualified from the race.
While the timing has fueled speculation by Lee’s supporters that Han’s announcement might be a coordinated move with the Supreme Court’s ruling, which was widely packed with Yoon appointees, legal experts said that the reversal is unlikely to affect the election timeline or Lee’s candidacy.
Rhee Joo-won, a Law Professor at Korea University, opined that a new verdict won’t be issued before the June vote, as appeals typically take around three months. Rhee added, “Although this may dent Lee’s support among moderate voters, he remains legally eligible to run.”
If elected, Lee would automatically see all ongoing criminal proceedings against him suspended while in office, Rhee and other legal experts said.
Still, the Supreme Court’s move prompted fierce backlash from Democratic Party lawmakers.
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