Table of Contents
- Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo officially declares his entry into the 2025 presidential race
- The seasoned technocrat, who is Han Duck-soo?
- Han Duck-soo's key presidential pledges: "Immediate constitutional amendment" and "Trade issue resolution"
- What is the possibility of unification with Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party?
- Han Duck-soo's challenge, what will be the choice of the conservative camp?
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo officially declares his entry into the 2025 presidential race
As the 2025 presidential election approaches, the political landscape is changing dramatically. In this context, former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has officially announced his candidacy, emerging as a central figure in politics.
He is emphasizing his image as a reformer from a technocrat background, presenting himself under the slogan "Promises to the People," based on his rich experience in governance. Attention is drawn to what impact his actions will have on future political ripples.
With President Yoon Seok-yeol's impeachment, there is a pressing need for a new leader from the conservative camp in this presidential election. His emergence is expected to significantly change the election landscape.
Recommended Reads
The seasoned technocrat, who is Han Duck-soo?
Han Duck-soo was born in 1949 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, and graduated in economics from Seoul National University. After passing the civil service examination, he entered public service and subsequently earned a Master's and PhD in economics from Harvard University, building his career as an economic expert.
His public service career is very illustrious. He built expertise through major economic ministries such as the Economic Planning Board, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. He served as the presidential economic secretary during the Kim Young-sam administration and as the head of the Trade Negotiation Headquarters in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade during the Kim Dae-jung administration. Additionally, during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, he played a significant role as the head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination and as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy.
He was later appointed as Ambassador to the United States during the Lee Myung-bak administration and also served as the 48th Prime Minister in the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, twice assuming the presidential acting authority. His career has established him as a key figure influencing South Korean economic policy.
His career showcases his profile as a practical expert unaffected by specific political factions. However, as the last Prime Minister of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, his involvement in incidents related to the impeachment of the president or illegal martial law may pose political burdens. Furthermore, the recent controversy over the 'Gwangju incident' remarks could also weigh on him.
Han Duck-soo's key presidential pledges: "Immediate constitutional amendment" and "Trade issue resolution"
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced two main pledges while declaring his candidacy for the presidential election. The first is "immediate constitutional amendment" and the second is "resolving trade issues." He stated that he would establish a "Presidential Committee for Constitutional Amendment" on his first day in office, promising to finalize the constitutional amendment within two years and to hold general elections and presidential elections again in the third year under the new constitution, a remarkable pledge of "three-year term reduction."
He proposed adjusting the balance of power between the president and the National Assembly, preventing the judicialization of politics, and establishing cooperative governance systems as aspects of the constitutional amendment. His pledges demonstrate his determination to lead political change.
Based on his experience as the first head of the Trade Negotiation Headquarters, he identified "resolving trade issues" as his most significant challenge. He aims to respond effectively to the rapidly changing global trade environment and create a business-friendly atmosphere to stimulate economic revitalization.
Moreover, he expressed his intent to form a "national unity cabinet" that includes various talents from different fields and took inspiration from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's slogan of "walking with the weak" to achieve social integration.
What is the possibility of unification with Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party?
With Han Duck-soo announcing his candidacy for the presidency, discussions on candidate unification in the conservative camp are becoming active. There is increasing interest in the possibility of cooperation with Kim Moon-soo, who has been selected as the presidential candidate for the People Power Party.
Recent polls indicate that among supporters of the People Power Party, the suitability of former Prime Minister Han as a single candidate is superior to that of Kim Moon-soo. This result is raising expectations for unification. Kim Moon-soo has also shown strong intent to quickly advance unification with former Prime Minister Han to prevent Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the Democratic Party, from winning.
Both sides seem to be agreeing on the necessity of unification and have begun practical discussions. However, challenges are anticipated regarding the methods for selecting candidates and aligning policies.
If this unification process does not proceed smoothly, there is a possibility of further division among conservative supporters.
How the two candidates will achieve unification and create mutual synergy will emerge as a significant point of interest in the presidential election.
Han Duck-soo's challenge, what will be the choice of the conservative camp?
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo's candidacy for the presidency is attributed to his diverse governance experience and expertise. However, there are various challenges to address, including connections to past administrations and recent controversies.
In his journey toward the presidency, unification with People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo is recognized as a crucial milestone. The conservative camp is faced with a strategic decision between the stable technocrat Han Duck-soo and the party-based Kim Moon-soo.
Attention is on how former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will overcome political challenges and whether he can present a new vision. His actions are anticipated to impact South Korean politics significantly.
#HanDucksoo, #presidentialcandidacy, #HanDucksoopresident, #HanDucksooprofile, #HanDucksoopromises, #2025presidentialelection, #election, #PeoplePowerParty, #KimMoonsoo, #conservativeunification, #candidateunification, #politics, #election, #presidentialcandidate, #economicexpert, #technocrat, #constitutionalamendment, #termreduction, #tradepolicy, #economicpolicy, #nationalunitycabinet, #walkingwiththeweak, #HanDucksoorelatedstocks, #HanDucksoosupportrate, #KimMoonsoosupportrate, #conservativepolitics, #SouthKoreanpolitics, #nextpresidentialelection, #presidentialprojections
