'First Prime Minister' Candidate Han Deok-su... A 'Traditional Bureaucrat' Who Held Key Positions in Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun Governments

Prime Minister Nominee Han Duck-soo

[Asia Economy reporters Son Seon-hee (Sejong) and Moon Je-won] Han Duck-soo, 73, nominated as the first Prime Minister candidate of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, is a seasoned economic bureaucrat who has held key positions such as Chief Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs, Minister for Government Policy Coordination, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, and Prime Minister during the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations.

Born in Jeonju, Jeonbuk, he graduated from Seoul Gyeonggi High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Economics. While still in university in 1970, he passed the 8th Administrative Examination and entered public service. The following year, he graduated at the top of his class from Seoul National University's College of Commerce, receiving the Chief Justice Award. He worked at the Korea Customs Service's Price Investigation Office, the Economic Cooperation Bureau and Policy Coordination Bureau of the Economic Planning Board (now the Ministry of Economy and Finance), and the Trade Promotion Bureau, Industrial Policy Bureau, and Machinery Industry Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (now the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy). Later, he studied abroad at Harvard University Graduate School, earning a master's and doctorate in economics.

During the Kim Young-sam administration, he served as the Presidential Secretary for Trade and Industry, then as the 11th Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Under the Kim Dae-jung administration, he worked as the inaugural Head of the Trade Negotiation Headquarters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where he first initiated the Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

He then served as Ambassador to the OECD representing South Korea and was appointed Chief Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs in January 2002. However, he was dismissed within six months following the controversy over the Korea-China garlic negotiations.

Afterwards, he served as a legal advisor at Kim & Chang law firm, then as President of the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, a government-funded research institute. He was appointed Minister for Government Policy Coordination under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, and also served as the 13th Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Finance and Economy, as well as Prime Minister. Additionally, he was Ambassador to the United States under the Lee Myung-bak administration and Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association under the Park Geun-hye administration.

Han is regarded as a 'unifying figure' from Jeonju. Having already passed the National Assembly confirmation process as a Prime Minister candidate during the Roh Moo-hyun administration in 2007, he is seen as having less burden regarding personnel verification. He completed his military service in the Army and is known to be the only Prime Minister in history without children.

Meanwhile, some civic groups have opposed Han’s nomination as Prime Minister, citing his past role as a legal advisor at Kim & Chang, representing Lone Star during the controversial sale of Korea Exchange Bank. The Center for Financial Capital Market Reform recently held a press conference stating, "Han served as a legal advisor at Kim & Chang, the domestic legal representative of Lone Star, from November 2002 to July 2003 for about eight months, reportedly receiving around 150 million KRW," and claimed he was "responsible for covering up Lone Star’s illegal sale of Korea Exchange Bank."

Below is Han’s career summary.

▲1997 Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Trade and Industry ▲1998 Head of Trade Negotiation Headquarters, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade ▲2002 Chief Presidential Secretary for Economic Affairs ▲2005-2006 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy ▲2006 Acting Prime Minister ▲2007-2008 Prime Minister ▲2009-2012 Ambassador to the United States ▲2012-2015 Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association ▲2012 Chair of the Private Sector Committee for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) ▲2015-2017 Chairman of the Climate Change Center Foundation ▲2016-present Founding Chair of the Sustainable Electricity Policy Alliance ▲2017 Chair of the Supreme Court Justice Candidate Recommendation Committee