Han Duck-soo's last state affairs as acting president and prime minister focused on security.
On the afternoon of 1st, acting Prime Minister Han announced his resignation from the prime minister's position and chaired a "security ministerial meeting" that morning, urging the maintenance of thorough preparedness. This indicates that he ordered stable readiness management in light of the sudden change in military command, as he has decided to resign from the prime minister role to run in the June 3 presidential election.
At the security ministerial meeting chaired by acting Prime Minister Han at 9 a.m. that day, Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Tae-young, Minister of Unification Kim Young-ho, Acting Minister of National Defense Kim Sun-ho, and Director of the National Intelligence Service Cho Tae-yong were present.
Acting Prime Minister Han asked them to "unite the foreign and security ministries with a sense of ownership and responsibility, thinking only of the nation and its people," adding that "solid security is the foundation of the country and a pillar supporting our economy."
He continued, "The domestic and international security situation surrounding our country is extremely serious," and added, "I hope you will ensure that there is no gap in protecting the lives and property of our citizens."
The day before, acting Prime Minister Han met with U.S. Secretary of the Navy John P. Fallon, in a schedule that seems to consider the Korea-U.S. alliance and Korea-U.S. trade negotiations. During the meeting, Han expressed hope for "close communication with the U.S. side so that the steadfast Korea-U.S. alliance can be continuously maintained and developed," emphasizing that "the Korea-U.S. alliance has evolved into the most successful alliance over the past 70 years, functioning as a key pillar for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region."
Acting Prime Minister Han also requested interest and support for South Korean corporations to contribute to the development of the U.S. shipbuilding industry. Han remarked, "Korea is the optimal partner to support the rebuilding of the U.S. shipbuilding industry," to which Secretary Fallon replied, "I will do my utmost to actively pursue shipbuilding cooperation with Korean corporations in the future."
After the morning meeting, acting Prime Minister Han was reported to have continued revising a public statement indicating his resignation.
In his public statement, acting Prime Minister Han stated, "If we do not abandon extreme politics and establish the framework of cooperation, division and conflict will only repeat, no matter who is in power," and noted, "To overcome the crisis we face, I have made the final decision to resign from my position to do what I can and what I must."
After finishing his public address, acting Prime Minister Han bid farewell to key executives and staff in his office. It was a tea time gathering instead of a farewell ceremony. Han expressed, "The past three years serving as your second prime minister have been the most intense time," and added, "It was a great honor to be with you." He further stated, "Even though I am leaving, there will be no neglect in government operations," and expressed his belief in the capabilities and sincerity of each one of them.
Acting Prime Minister Han left the government complex at 6 p.m. that evening. The last farewell was seen off by Bang Gi-seon, Head of the Government Policy Coordination Office, Kim Jong-moon, First Deputy Prime Minister, Nam Hyung-ki, Second Deputy Prime Minister, and others. Kim Young-soo, Head of the Office for Government Operations, Park Kyung-eun, Chief of the Civil Affairs Office, Kim Soo-hye, Head of the Public Affairs Office, Lee Chung-hyun, Secretary for Political Cooperation, and Shin Jung-in, Secretary for Civil Society were also present. He expressed his final words to the staff who came to see him off, saying, "You have all worked hard. I hope to see you again. Thank you."
Acting Prime Minister Han was reported to plan to go to the residence in Samcheong-dong after leaving the office and to move to his private residence at night.