The Cambodian coup of 1970, carried out by General Lon Nol, led to the end of Sihanouk's power and the establishment of the Khmer Republic. Hak was initially mooted as a leader of the Pracheachon party, a socialist party with which he had previously been involved, but eventually joined the Social Republican Party led by Lon Nol, and served as Prime Minister between 15 October 1972 and 6 May 1973.
