Korean Acting President: "Republic of Korea Must Function Normally Within Democracy"

Acting President's First Schedule, Convening Temporary Cabinet Meeting
Urges National Stability... "Wholehearted Efforts to Overcome Crisis"

Prime Minister and Acting President Han Duck-soo convened an emergency Cabinet meeting and began efforts to stabilize state affairs.

On the afternoon of the 14th, Acting President Han held an emergency Cabinet meeting at the Government Seoul Office and stated, "As the person responsible for the administration, I deeply regret that such an unfortunate situation has occurred and humbly apologize to the people." President Yoon Seok-yeol's authority was suspended from 7:24 p.m. that day.

Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is speaking at the extraordinary Cabinet meeting held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News

Acting President Han repeatedly emphasized the "stabilization of state affairs," saying, "Above all, the most important thing is to establish a firm security posture and demonstrate to the international community that South Korea's system is functioning normally under the solid principles of democracy and the rule of law. At the same time, I urge the military to strengthen surveillance and vigilance to prepare for North Korean provocations by establishing the ROK-U.S. combined defense posture."

Regarding concerns about a potential rift in the ROK-U.S. alliance ahead of the launch of the "Trump 2nd term," he said, "The entire Cabinet, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, should make every effort to solidify trust with South Korea, the U.S., Japan, and our allies and dispel the concerns of the international community." He also urged, "The Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs should monitor the economic situation in real time and thoroughly review and implement measures to prepare for the inauguration of the Trump administration."

In addition, Acting President Han ordered efforts to alleviate concerns in the tourism and distribution industries caused by prolonged consumer sentiment decline and domestic demand stagnation, including informing the international community that South Korea is a safe country to travel to.

Acting President Han said, "I believe that with mature civic consciousness and unified efforts by the government and political parties, we will surely overcome this." He added, "I will devote myself wholeheartedly to overcoming this crisis, thinking only of the people and national interests."