Former South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo formally declared his candidacy for South Korea’s upcoming presidential election on Friday, pledging to pursue dialogue with North Korea while strengthening deterrence against nuclear threats.

Han’s campaign launch came after he resigned from his dual posts as prime minister and acting president on Thursday, clearing the way for him to run in the election.

The 75-year-old career bureaucrat placed constitutional reform and national unity at the heart of his platform, vowing to create a presidential task force for constitutional revision upon taking office, finalize the amendment in his second year and hold new general and presidential elections under the revised system in year three — after which he would voluntarily step down.

Though he made no direct reference to North Korea in his prepared speech, Han fielded questions about his potential security policy and said his approach to Pyongyang would rest on a dual-track strategy of sustained diplomatic engagement coupled with “sufficient deterrence.”

He stressed that protecting the lives and property of South Koreans must transcend political divisions and that political polarization has reached “dangerous levels,” warning that failing to build a system grounded in unity and cooperation could destabilize the country’s security posture.

Han pointed to North Korea’s recent declaration designating South Korea as a hostile state and its complete severing of inter-Korean ties as evidence of growing threats. Pyongyang, he said, is working to isolate its citizens from any South Korean influence while expanding its asymmetric military capabilities, citing its development of nuclear missiles and submarine-based delivery systems.

“This is no ordinary situation,” Han said, describing the North’s deepening ties with Russia and its alignment with authoritarian states like China and Iran as a profound threat to regional and global stability.

He criticized what he described as “idealistic and unrealistic” approaches to Pyongyang, arguing that they ignore the gravity of the threat. Nevertheless, Han insisted that dialogue must remain a top priority and expressed a willingness to hold a summit with DPRK leadership “even without a formal agenda.”

But he added: “If dialogue alone cannot deter such actions, then of course we must possess sufficient deterrence against North Korea and any nation acting with hostility toward us.”

Han rejected claims that deterrence undermines dialogue, calling such arguments “logically inconsistent.”

He also said his security vision includes strengthening the U.S.-ROK alliance, enhancing trilateral cooperation with the U.S. and Japan and expanding joint efforts in advanced technologies like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, which he described as central to modern national defense.

“Through this cooperation, we can ensure peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, across Northeast Asia, and throughout the wider region.” 

“And to any force or political group that tries to undermine this, we will stand firm and fight back,” he stressed.

POLITICAL WHIRLWIND

Han called for national reconciliation in his keynote speech, criticizing deepening divisions across ideology, region, gender and age. He pledged to form a grand coalition cabinet, inviting even his election rivals to participate, and promised to decentralize personnel decisions below vice minister level to ensure professionalism and accountability.

“This must not be the government of Han Duck-soo. It must be the government of everyone who wants to move this country forward,” he declared.

“My ideology is simple. South Korea’s miracle must not end here. I want to be a stepping stone for young people to reach the future, and I will work tirelessly for the public good.”

Han’s announcement on Friday follows a whirlwind of political upheaval within South Korea’s executive branch, triggered by a series of rapid resignations and constitutional crises.

After stepping down Thursday as both acting president and prime minister, the acting presidency was initially expected to go to finance minister Choi Sang-mok.

However, Choi also offered his resignation just hours later, following the Democratic Party’s submission of an impeachment motion accusing him of obstructing legislative authority during his previous stint as acting president. The opposition claimed Choi violated constitutional norms by refusing to appoint a nominee to the Constitutional Court.

Han accepted Choi’s resignation just before the motion could be voted on, creating an unprecedented leadership vacuum. As a result, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, fourth in the ROK Cabinet’s order of precedence, has now assumed the role of acting president.

Lee convened a National Security Council meeting shortly after taking office, urging heightened military vigilance amid escalating threats from North Korea.

Edited by Alannah Hill