{"record":{"aliases":[],"appointmentIds":["korea-58cf7ec59ac4c6"],"appointmentsDataset":"https://chanceries.org/diplomats.json","archivalSources":[],"canonicalUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/han-duck-soo-dbbfb7804a/","countrySlug":"korea","entityId":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/han-duck-soo-dbbfb7804a/#person","eventIds":[],"expandedParagraphs":["Han Duck-soo trained as an economist at Seoul National University and Harvard and spent much of his public career in economic administration. He worked at the Economic Planning Board, rose through trade policy positions, and served as trade minister, ambassador to the OECD, and finance minister. In 2006 he chaired the presidential committee promoting the Korea–United States free trade agreement. He was prime minister under Roh Moo-hyun from April 2007 to February 2008.","Appointed ambassador to the United States in 2009, Han made the trade agreement a major subject of his public work. In January 2011 he appeared with U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk at a Third Way event arguing the agreement's benefits for American exporters and workers. He also took part in the Korea Economic Institute's ambassadors' dialogue with Kathleen Stephens, the American ambassador in Seoul.","Han left Washington in February 2012 and headed the Korea International Trade Association until 2015. He returned as prime minister under Yoon Suk Yeol in May 2022. Following Yoon's suspension, Han served as acting president, but the National Assembly also impeached him and suspended his duties. The Constitutional Court dismissed his impeachment in March 2025, enabling his return to office; he resigned as prime minister and acting president on May 1.","Criminal proceedings over the December 2024 martial law declaration followed separately from the impeachment case. In May 2026 the Seoul High Court upheld his conviction for playing a key role in the insurrection and reduced his prison sentence from twenty-three to fifteen years, while reversing one perjury finding. The Supreme Court referred his appeal to its full bench in August 2026."],"id":"korea:han duck-soo","identifiers":{},"legacyPersonIds":[],"legacyUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplomat-dbbfb7804a5792a1d8fc.html","name":"Han Duck-soo","notes":[],"paragraphSources":[["career","wef"],["career","trade-event"],["career","wef","reinstatement","resignation"],["appeal","supreme-court"]],"profileUrl":"diplomat-dbbfb7804a5792a1d8fc.html","relatedEvents":[{"basis":"reviewed-context","country":"Korea","date":"2012-03-15","description":"The Korea–United States Free Trade Agreement enters into force, reducing barriers to goods and services and deepening the alliance’s economic foundations.","id":"korea-trade","note":"Han’s biography documents his role promoting the agreement in 2006 and 2011. He left in February 2012; the link reflects negotiations, not service on the entry-into-force date.","sourceUrls":["https://www.ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/korus-fta"],"title":"A new era of trade","url":"Korea.html#history-korea-trade"}],"relatedPeople":[],"relationships":[],"researchStatus":"reviewed","reviewedOn":"2026-10-28","revision":"807c90406e1d854e","sources":[{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"career","locator":"Biography","publisher":"Korea Economic Institute of America","title":"Han Duck-soo","type":"official-biography","url":"https://keia.org/contributor/han-duck-soo/"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"wef","locator":"Career summary","publisher":"World Economic Forum","title":"Han Duck-soo","type":"official-biography","url":"https://www.weforum.org/people/han-duck-soo"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2011-01","id":"trade-event","locator":"Third Way event report","publisher":"U.S. Trade Representative","title":"Ambassador Kirk Speaks About the Benefits a U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement will Bring to American Businesses and Workers","type":"primary-record","url":"https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/blog/2011/january/ambassador-kirk-speaks-about-benefits-us-korea-trade-agreeme"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2025-03-24","id":"reinstatement","locator":"Opening paragraphs","publisher":"Yonhap","title":"Acting President Han vows to address urgent issues after reinstatement","type":"contemporary-report","url":"https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20250324004100315"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2025-05-01","id":"resignation","locator":"Resignation speech and career background","publisher":"The Korea Herald","title":"Han Duck-soo resigns to take on bigger responsibility","type":"contemporary-report","url":"https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10478845"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2026-05-07","id":"appeal","locator":"Verdict paragraphs","publisher":"Yonhap","title":"Appeals court reduces sentence for ex-PM Han to15yrs in insurrection trial","type":"contemporary-report","url":"https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260507004951315"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2026-08-05","id":"supreme-court","locator":"Court press-release report","publisher":"KBS World","title":"Supreme Court’s Full Bench to Review Cases of Ex-Prime Minister Han, Ex-Interior Minister Lee","type":"contemporary-report","url":"https://rki.kbs.co.kr/service/news_view.htm?Seq_Code=203385&lang=e"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"Undated; lists Kang Kyung-wha as incumbent from October 2025","id":"mission-5a99a134f5cacf2c3bad","locator":"","publisher":"","title":"Mission history, former chiefs and jurisdiction","type":"Mission record","url":"https://www.mofa.go.kr/us-ko/wpge/m_4472/contents.do"}],"topics":["economic policy","KORUS FTA","premiership","martial-law proceedings"]},"schemaVersion":1}