The Democratic Party urged Han Duck-soo, the acting Prime Minister whose rumors of candidacy for the presidential election have recently surfaced, to clarify his stance. Recently, the acting Prime Minister's call with U.S. President Donald Trump was criticized as "self-serving media play."

Park Chan-dae, the acting leader of the Democratic Party and the floor leader, is speaking at the policy countermeasure meeting held at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 15th./Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

Jin Sung-joon, chairman of the Democratic Party's Policy Committee, said at a legislative countermeasure meeting held at the National Assembly on the 15th, "What the acting Prime Minister needs to do right now is not a hasty tariff negotiation," adding, "He must first clearly state his position on the presidential election candidacy."

Chairman Jin said, "The acting Prime Minister presented the U.S. government's 90-day waiver of reciprocal tariffs as if it were the result of his conversation with President Trump," and noted, "Due to his political ambitions to run for president, he is engaging in self-serving media play."

He continued, "There are concerns that rushing negotiations may ultimately lead to a one-sided concession," and emphasized, "Major commercial negotiations that involve massive national interests must be conducted in consultation with the National Assembly. I reiterate the call for the formation of a trade policy committee in the National Assembly."

Amid the rumors of his candidacy for the presidential election, the acting Prime Minister stated at the Cabinet meeting held the day before, "I will fulfill my final mission entrusted to me," adding, "What we need now is a strong will to turn crisis into opportunity." However, the expression "final mission" has left many interpretations still under discussion.

The People Power Party has dismissed the rumors about the acting Prime Minister's candidacy for now. Kweon Seong-dong, the floor leader of the People Power Party, said at the legislative countermeasure meeting that day, "The acting Prime Minister will not run in the People Power Party's presidential primary," and added, "Further mention of candidacy rumors does not help with election excitement or the important duties he must perform as acting Prime Minister."