It's been two weeks since South Korea's president declared martial law and lifted it several hours later. Now the president has been impeached and is awaiting trial.
Han Duck-soo was the prime minister for about two and a half years, serving under the right-of-center government of now-suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Now Han Duck-soo is the acting president following Saturday's impeachment. Han Duck-soo was also South Korea’s prime minister 17 years ago under a presidential administration that was left of center.
Partisan politics has never been the dominant factor in his government service. At various points, he's been ambassador to the United States, finance minister, and trade minister.
His academic area is economics, which was his major at Seoul National University, and the field for his master's degree and Ph.D., both from Harvard.
Overall, Han Duck-soo's professional reputation is built more on policy execution than the political side of elected office. That may put him in an informed position to discuss tariffs with the incoming Trump administration. He's also fluent in English.
But some commentators in South Korea say it doesn’t give him a strong domestic political base. Although at 75 years old, he's also not likely looking for an extended political career.
As for the suspended president, South Korea’s Constitutional Court is expected to decide on Yoon Suk Yeol's removal from office within six months.
