Acting President Han Duck-soo said Monday he will fulfill his "final calling" by tackling the US tariff crisis, apparently dismissing rumors of a presidential bid in the upcoming June election.
Han has emerged as a possible contender in the June 3 presidential election following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his martial law bid in December.
Despite no mention of a presidential run from Han, he has appeared in recent public opinion surveys on the most favored presidential candidate, gaining 8.6 percent support in a Realmeter poll released Monday.
"I ask the ministers of each ministry to come up with detailed strategic response measures for the various non-tariff barriers and cooperation projects mentioned by the US with only the national interest and the people in mind," Han said during a Cabinet meeting.
"I, too, will fully use my networks based on my trade-related experience to fulfill my final calling together with the Cabinet members," he added.
Han used the meeting to urge ministers to respond thoroughly to parliamentary interpellation sessions this week while also calling on the National Assembly to swiftly pass various bills aimed at helping small business owners and exporters, in addition to the government's supplementary budget proposal.
He again called for the government's special attention to preventing the recurrence of safety-related accidents, such as the collapse of a subway construction site in Gwangmyeong last Friday, noting the government will begin a two-month inspection of 22,000 accident-prone facilities later in the day. (Yonhap)
