South Korea appoints new acting leader as ex-PM enters election race

In a snap election to replace impeached ex-leader Yoon Suk-yeol, South Korea sworn in its third acting president in less than six months.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, who was appointed acting leader on Friday, a day after Han Duck-soo announced his candidacy for the June 3 election, made the pledge to “stability.”

Lee told reporters, “I’ll do my best to make sure government functions are conducted impartially.”

The election campaign’s nomination of a new acting president came as Han’s candidacy for the Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung gained more skepticism.

Han stated at a press conference held on Friday at the National Assembly that “I love and care about the future of the Republic of Korea” and that he is determined to find what I love and what we all can do.

“I’ll make every effort possible to win this presidency,” I pledge to do so.

The Supreme Court retried Lee Jae-myung’s conviction for violating election law on Thursday, sending the case to a lower court.

Lee, who has been a top voter for months, would be exempt from the race if his conviction is overturned before the election.

Following Yoon’s resignation as a former prosecutor-turned-conservative politician in December, after his shocking declaration of martial law, the election was called.

The political uncertainty and chaos it sparked by Yoon’s declaration, which only lasted for less than six hours before being rejected by the legislature of South Korea, persists nearly six months later.

After Yoon’s impeachment on December 14, Han, 75, was removed and replaced by Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who took over as acting president.

Han was reinstated as an acting leader after the Constitutional Court overturned his impeachment in March.

Han, a seasoned politician and bureaucrat, has previously held positions as ambassador to the United States and trade minister in both liberal and conservative administrations.

Han is expected to support Yoon’s conservative People Power Party despite not having political affiliations.

He claimed that his campaign promises to increase constitutional amendments and limit the executive’s authority.

The Democratic Party accused Han of giving up his duties as a caretaker leader after he made that statement.

“We warn Han, the former prime minister. Noh Jong-myun, a spokesman for the Democratic Party, “don’t conceal your lust with a lie that you’re running for the people.”