The conservative People Power Party announced Tuesday that acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will not register to run as the party's candidate for president in the June election, amid calls for him to enter the presidential race.
"Han will not take part in the (People Power Party's) primary," Rep. Kweon Seong-dong, floor leader of the conservative party, said in a meeting with party lawmakers Tuesday.
He added that some party members were speculating about Han's presidential run, which "does not help with the party's primary or the acting president's official duties."
Kweon also told reporters after the meeting that his remarks were meant to "draw people's attention to the party primary, amid conflicting views about Han's candidacy."
This means if Han wants to run, he will have to do so either as an independent candidate or with a minor party.
Han has neither confirmed nor denied any intention to run for president as of press time. Following ex-President Park Geun-hye's removal from office in March 2017, then-acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn declared less than a week later that he would not run for president.
Han is now tasked with addressing the trade uncertainties posed by Washington's imposition of tariffs on most goods, with US tariffs on South Korean steel goods and automobiles already in effect.
Visiting Kia AutoLand Gwangju, an auto manufacturing complex that ships 35 percent of its output to the United States, Han said Tuesday he would work to increase the state budget for automotive research and draw up additional support measures as needed in a timely manner. He also pledged to cushion the impact on South Korean industries affected by US tariffs by negotiating with Washington.
Han is to serve as acting president until a newly elected president takes office after the June 3 election.
Both major parties — the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea — were scheduled to conclude the registration of candidates for their respective primaries Tuesday, and to finalize their nominees by early May.
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