South Korea’s ex-Prime Minister Han says he will seek the presidency in June election

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Friday he will run in next month’s presidential election and would seek to lessen the powers of the office and ease strife-ridden domestic politics if he wins.

Han’s entry heats up the scramble among conservatives to unify behind a candidate to compete with liberal front-runner Lee Jae-myung, whose campaign recently was set back by a court decision to open a new trial on election law violation charges.

“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. I’ll try my utmost to be chosen by the people at this presidential election,” Han told a press conference at the National Assembly.

South Korea is holding an early presidential election on June 3 after conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted over his imposition of martial law. Han was appointed prime minister, the No. 2 post, by Yoon, and he served as acting leader after Yoon was suspended and later removed from office.

Han also was prime minister under liberal President Roh Moo-hyun from 2007 to 2008 and has served as trade minister, finance minister and ambassador to the U.S. during his 40-year career in public service. He has never held elected office but has risen politically as the main conservative People Power Party struggles in the wake of Yoon’s ouster.

Han does not belong to a political party, but contenders in the PPP have said they are willing to field a single candidate among them and Han. PPP members are scheduled to nominate their party’s candidate Saturday.

Han said that if elected, he would launch a body to amend the constitution so the president and the assembly share powers based on the principle of checks and balances. His revisions would also bar the political circle and the judiciary branch from meddling in each other’s sectors.

In South Korea, executive power is heavily concentrated on a president, and there have been calls for change.

The election June 3 will give the new president a full, single five-year term. But Han said he would serve three years to finish the constitutional revision and then leave.

Han said he would also use his expertise on economic affairs to resolve trade issues with the U.S. over President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.

Lee’s main liberal opposition Democratic Party stepped up its offensive against Han, saying he is abandoning his duties as the government’s caretaker and lacks the moral standing to run for the presidency as a No. 2 official in the Yoon administration, responsible for many policy failures.

“We warn to former Prime Minister Han. Don’t hide your greed with a lie that you are running for the people,” party spokesperson Noh Jongmyun said.