Interview with the Financial Times UK
Maintains Previous Stance with 44 Days Left Until Presidential Election
Prime Minister and Acting President Han Ducksoo has reaffirmed his previous position that he "has not made a decision yet" on whether he will run in the June 3 presidential election, even with only 44 days left until the early election.
Prime Minister and Acting President Han Ducksoo reaffirmed his previous position on whether he will run in the June 3 presidential election, stating, "I have not made a decision yet." Prime Minister's Office
In an interview with the UK’s Financial Times (FT) published on April 20, Han was asked about his candidacy in the presidential election and replied, "I have not made a decision yet." When asked if he was considering running, he said, "No comment," avoiding a direct answer.
It has also been reported that during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on April 8, Han was asked about his candidacy and responded that he was "still considering it," indicating that he had not yet made a decision.
Previously, within the People Power Party, particularly among pro-Yoon Suk Yeol members, there have been calls for Han to be drafted as a candidate, making his final decision a matter of keen interest ahead of the primary.
Ahn Cheolsoo, a candidate in the People Power Party presidential primary, criticized the situation, saying, "To drag even the prime minister, who has to manage the tariff war with the U.S. and oversee crisis management, into the primary?do we really have so few qualified people in our party?" Ahn added, "What we need now is not a 'transfusion' but 'reflection and innovation.'"
Former People Power Party leader Han Donghoon also criticized the movement, saying, "Some lawmakers are trying to stir things up by saying, 'How about this?' To put it bluntly, it’s like manipulating theme stocks."
The Democratic Party of Korea has called for Han to make a prompt decision. Park Chan-dae, acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, urged Han, "If you are not going to run, declare your intention not to run immediately," and added, "If you plan to run, step away from the U.S. tariff negotiations right now." Kim Minseok, a top member of the Democratic Party, also insisted, "If you intend to focus on the U.S. tariff negotiations, you must immediately declare you will not run."
Currently, Han has not declared his candidacy, but he holds the highest approval rating among conservative figures. In a poll conducted by CBS Nocut News and the Korea Society Opinion Institute (KSOI) on April 18 and 19, surveying 1,005 men and women nationwide aged 18 and older, Han ranked second (12.1%) after Lee Jaemyung (53.1%) when asked which of the potential presidential candidates was most likely to win. In response to the question of who would be the best candidate among those mentioned for the next presidency, Han was chosen by 10.6%, again coming in second after Lee Jaemyung (46.1%).
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