Unprecedented chain of acting presidents must not stall governance

Following Acting President Han Duck-soo’s bid for the presidency and the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Choi Sang-mok to avoid an abrupt impeachment motion by the opposition, Education Minister and Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs Lee Ju-ho assumed the role of acting president on May 2. This unprecedented “acting-of-acting-of-acting president” arrangement, where the nation’s fourth-highest-ranking official serves as acting head, is the first in South Korea. Lee now bears the immense responsibility of overseeing the entire government, commanding the military, and managing the election for the next month.

This shift in leadership came suddenly. After the Supreme Court ruled against presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung for violating election law, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea retaliated that night by pushing forward a surprise impeachment motion against Deputy Prime Minister Choi. As a result, the Ministry of Education, now effectively supporting the acting president, scrambled through its procedural manuals in a visibly disoriented response. Unlike the prime minister, who oversees overall government affairs, or the economic deputy prime minister, who handles budget and policy execution, the social affairs minister lacks experience in inter-ministerial coordination. Moreover, this leadership void comes amid rapidly evolving global security and trade tensions, circumstances that would challenge even a fully functioning government. With five of the 19 ministerial posts vacant and a leader with no experience in national command, it is no surprise that many are losing sleep over fears of government paralysis.

Concerns are already mounting that the simultaneous absence of Han and Choi, both central figures in tariff negotiations with the United States, could cede the upper hand to Washington. The acting economic deputy prime minister and the industry and trade minister must work together to set a clear framework for trade negotiations without being drawn into the U.S.’s fast-paced agenda. Stabilizing the financial markets and promptly executing the recently passed supplementary budget to bolster the real economy are equally urgent. Meanwhile, amid rising threats such as potential provocations from North Korea, concerns over a security vacuum are intensifying as the commander-in-chief keeps changing, and both the defense minister and the army chief of staff are serving in acting or deputy roles. While maintaining a robust state of military readiness, we must also take proactive measures to ensure that the U.S. push for a troop realignment in South Korea to counter China does not emerge as a new source of security instability.

Over the past four months under emergency martial law, South Korea’s top leadership has cycled through the president, prime minister, economic deputy prime minister, back to the prime minister, and now to the social affairs deputy prime minister. This unprecedented disruption is not the result of a foreign attack or a natural disaster, but self-inflicted turmoil. The government and political establishment must recognize the gravity of their incompetence and irresponsibility. Until a new administration is sworn in, political leaders must refrain from adding further burdens to an already strained nation.