Anchor: Acting President Han Duck-soo has resigned. In a news conference Thursday at the government complex in Seoul, Han announced his decision amid growing calls on him to run for president.
Kim Bum-soo has this report. 

Report: Acting President Han Duck-soo has stepped down in an apparent move to run for president. 

Han on Thursday addressed the nation to explain his decision.

[Sound bite: Acting President Han Duck-soo (Korean-English)]
“Two paths lie before me. One is to complete the important duties I am currently entrusted with, and the other is to step down from those responsibilities to take on an even greater one. I have made the final decision to step down from my position in order to do what I can and what I must to overcome the crisis we are facing.”

Han is expected to officially announce his presidential bid on Friday.

[Soundbite: Acting President Han Duck-soo(Korean-English)]
“It doesn’t matter whether I succeed or fail as an individual. What truly matters is that our future remains secure. We must not falter. We must thrive. We must move forward and continue to prosper. Although I am imperfect, for the sake of the nation, I will pursue the path I believe to be the best. Even at this very moment, and in the future, without any excuses, I will see it through to the end.”

Before leaving his responsibilities to deputy prime minister Choi Sang-mok, Han held a meeting with security-related ministers in the morning, and asked them to place their top priority on the nation’s interest. 

[Sound bite: Acting President Han Duck-soo (Korean-English)]
"I would like to ask you to place your top priority on the national interest and work calmly and stoically, under the principle that there is no compromise in national security, as the government is adjusting to the new international environment amid negotiations with the U.S. A solid national security is the basis of our nation and is the buttress for our economy."

Han's aides have already rented an office nearby the National Assembly for his campaign headquarters. 

Han is widely expected to pledge shortening the next president's term in office for a constitutional amendment amid growing calls to decentralize executive authority and switch the current single term five-year presidency to two consecutive four-year terms. 

Running on an independent ticket, the former acting president will likely seek the creation of the so-called “big tent” coalition against Democratic Party's Lee Jae-myung, joining hands with liberalist heavyweight Lee Nak-yon and conservative Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok.

Han may eventually work out a deal with the final winner of the conservative People Power Party's ongoing primary to field a single conservative candidate. 

The 75-year old career civil servant worked as the nation's trade minister, ambassador to the U.S. and prime minister under the Roh Moo-hyun and Yoon Suk Yeol administrations, among other key positions. 

Han became acting president after Yoon's parliamentary impeachment on December 14 but was suspended from duties 13 days later as the National Assembly voted to impeach him as well. He was reinstated on March 23 as the Constitutional Court dismissed a parliamentary motion to oust him.
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.