South Korea acting leader Han Duck-soo resigns ahead of expected presidential runTopic:World Politics2h ago2 hours agoThu 1 May 2025 at 8:09amHe resigned ahead of a snap election next month. (Yonhap/via REUTERS)In short:South Korea's acting leader Han Duck-soo has resigned from his duties as both prime minister and president.His resignation comes before an expected run for president in the country's snap election on June 3.What's next?South Korea will hold a presidential election on June 3.abc.net.au/news/south-korea-acting-leader-han-duck-soo-resigns/105241002Link copiedShareShare articleSouth Korea's acting leader Han Duck-soo has resigned from his duties as both prime minister and president.He is resigning to take on "heavier responsibility" amid expectation he will run in next month's presidential election.Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok is standing in as acting president, as required by law."I hereby step down from my duties as acting president and prime minister (of South Korea)," he said in a national press conference."During these grave times, I have long pondered and deliberated whether this decision is truly right and unavoidable, considering the weight of the responsibilities I bear."In the end, I have decided to take this path if there's no other one.Han Duck-soo bowed after his resignation speech. (Yonhap/via REUTERS)"I have made the final decision to step down from my positions to do what I can and what I must to overcome the crisis we are facing."Han has emerged as a potential conservative standard bearer, and South Korean media reported he will officially launch his presidential campaign on Friday."I have two paths ahead of me. One is completing the heavy responsibility that I handle now. The other is putting down that responsibility and taking a heavier responsibility," Han said.Incumbent and former presidents are ineligible to seek re-election in South Korea, giving reason to Han's resignation from the post.Why Han Duck-soo was impeached just two weeks into his jobPhoto shows Acting President Han Duck-soo, center, speaks during a cabinet meeting in Seoul.The successive impeachments are unprecedented, and mean the top two officials in Asia's fourth-largest economy are currently suspended from their duties. Here's why some observers are increasingly concerned.The main conservative People Power Party remains in disarray over Yoon's December 3 imposition of martial law.Han himself went through an impeachment trial last year over his involvement with the martial law incident.He was suspended as acting president at the start of the trial on December 27, however was reinstated by the Constitutional Court of Korea on March 24.Earlier today, South Korea's Supreme Court overturned a previous ruling that had cleared election frontrunner Lee Jae-myung of election law violation, throwing into doubt his eligibility to run for the presidency.Lee, the candidate of the liberal Democratic Party which controls parliament, leads opinion polls to win a snap presidential election.In March, an appeals court had cleared Lee of violating the election law, but prosecutors had appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.The Supreme Court said that Lee violated election law by publicly stating false facts and ruled to send the case back to the appeals court."This is bad news for the Democratic Party and candidate Lee Jae-myung," said Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University."The appeals court will decide whether to disqualify him to run for office or not, but the Supreme Court in effect found him guilty. This is a blow to Lee. Moderate voters, 10 per cent of the total, will be swayed by this news."While the Supreme Court moved unusually fast to consider Lee's election law case, it gave no deadline for the lower court, which usually takes months to revisit rulings and it was unclear if it would come before the June 3 election.Reuters/APPosted 2h ago2 hours agoThu 1 May 2025 at 8:09am, updated 1h ago1 hours agoThu 1 May 2025 at 8:53amShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesCoalition costings reveal worse budget for first two years under Dutton compared to LaborTopic:Federal GovernmentPhoto shows Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor press conferenceLiberals granted injunction in spat with council over corflutes in KooyongLIVEPhoto shows Monique Ryan Amelia Hamer pre-poll signsVaping rules to be eased under Coalition governmentTopic:VapingPhoto shows a woman holds a vape as she blows smoke out of her mouth while walking outdoorsGroup that organised election volunteers denies links to BeijingTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows Steven Mao and Jessica Yuan anding out how-to-vote cards wearing Monique Ryan shirts.Moment before officer shoots Bondi Junction stabber shown in new CCTVTopic:CrimePhoto shows CCTV of a man running with a knife in a shopping centre.Popular nowMoment before officer shoots Bondi Junction stabber shown in new CCTVTopic:CrimePhoto shows CCTV of a man running with a knife in a shopping centre.Liberals granted injunction in spat with council over corflutes in KooyongLIVEPhoto shows Monique Ryan Amelia Hamer pre-poll signsCoalition costings reveal worse budget for first two years under Dutton compared to LaborTopic:Federal GovernmentPhoto shows Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor press conferenceRelated topicsKorea, Republic OfWorld PoliticsTop StoriesCoalition costings reveal worse budget for first two years under Dutton compared to LaborTopic:Federal GovernmentPhoto shows Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor press conferenceLiberals granted injunction in spat with council over corflutes in KooyongTopic:Australian Federal ElectionsVaping rules to be eased under Coalition governmentTopic:VapingGroup that organised election volunteers denies links to BeijingTopic:ElectionsMoment before officer shoots Bondi Junction stabber shown in new CCTVTopic:CrimeJust InWoman has car stolen on freeway after stopping to help at crashTopic:Police25m ago25 minutes agoThu 1 May 2025 at 9:59amYoungest Snowtown murderer applies for release on paroleTopic:Homicide1h ago1 hours agoThu 1 May 2025 at 9:19amNeo-Nazi flyers delivered to Jewish households in MelbourneTopic:Elections1h ago1 hours agoThu 1 May 2025 at 9:18amMoment before officer shoots Bondi Junction stabber shown in new CCTVTopic:Crime52m ago52 minutes agoThu 1 May 2025 at 9:33amMore Just InBack to top