Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of his presidential bid amid growing doubts on his interim leadership and speculation over his ambition for next year’s election. 

Hwang attended the first parliamentary questioning since the National Assembly passed an impeachment motion against President Park Geun-hye on Dec. 9.

Opposition lawmakers relayed their criticism that the prime minster “pretends to be” an elected leader, taking issue with his initial choice not to show up, the recent appointment of high-level posts and his alleged demand for presidential protocol during last week’s visit to National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun. 

Rumors also persist that some Park loyalists in the ruling Saenuri Party are considering Hwang as a potential presidential flag bearer in next year‘s presidential election.

“I don’t at all,” Hwang said, when Rep. Chae Yi-bai of the minor opposition People’s Party asked whether he was planning or considering running for president.

As Rep. Kim Jin-pyo of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea accused Hwang of doing a “costume play” as the president, taking issue with his naming of the new chief of the Korea Racing Authority last week and for other senior positions.

With the Constitution lacking clear guidelines on the acting president’s authority, debate has been fierce over whether Hwang is entitled to personnel appointment power. Opposition legislators argue that he should play a minimal, managerial role.

“I much bear in mind the discussions about whether acting president could make major appointments,” Hwang said.

“But I believe some of the positions, which may help plug a government vacuum and shore up the economy, inevitably need to be filled.”

The session was intended to review the government’s responses to a range of pressing socioeconomic issues including the outbreak of bird flu, the US Federal Reserve’s recent interest rate hike and the upcoming US leadership transition.

While directing most economy-related questions at Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho, opposition lawmakers expressed skepticism toward Hwang’s leadership, following a fracas over his initial decision not to take part in the questioning citing the lack of precedents.

The last-minute about-face reflects Hwang’s resolve to foster “collaborative governance” with the Assembly, which is dominated by the opposition in particular, officials said.

“The acting president said it is not desirable to be deemed at this point, as if the administration was in conflict with the legislature, which also does not accord with the people’s wishes for a swifter stabilization of state management,” an official at the Prime Minister’s Office told reporters earlier in the day.

“The government thinks of the Assembly as the No. 1 communication partner. Without its cooperation, it’s difficult to make and implement any policy.”

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)