Han Seong-Sook as PM
Blurb: The country is set to get its first female Prime Minister in 15 years
SEOUL
President Lee Jae-myung nominated Han Seong-sook, the current Minister of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), as South Korea’s next prime minister.
If confirmed by the National Assembly, Han will make history as the Lee administration’s first female prime minister, and only the second woman to ever hold the position in South Korea, following Han Myeong-sook’s tenure from 2006 to 2007.
The current Prime Minister, Kim Min-seok, is stepping down after serving as the administration’s inaugural premier. According to regional reports, Kim’s resignation is a strategic move to clear the path for his upcoming bid for the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) during its party convention late this summer.
Han Seong-sook brings a robust corporate and technology background to the position. Before entering public service at the start of the Lee administration, she served as the chief executive officer of South Korea’s dominant online portal and search engine giant, Naver.
Announcing the high-profile nomination, Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik praised Han’s unique qualifications, describing her as a leader uniquely capable of flawlessly driving South Korea’s epochal transition to artificial intelligence and spearheading equitable economic growth. Kang also extended the presidential office’s deep gratitude to outgoing Prime Minister Kim, crediting his leadership for the government’s major early policy successes.
This major cabinet reshuffle coincides precisely with the Lee administration marking its first full year in office, following the president’s inauguration on June 4 last year. President Lee is scheduled to address the nation soon in a major press conference, where he will reflect on his first year in office and lay out his strategic policy vision for the remainder of his five-year term. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s Office has already assembled a dedicated task force to assist Han in preparing for her upcoming parliamentary confirmation hearings.
