President Lee Jae Myung has chosen Han Seong-sook, the current minister of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to be the next prime minister, as confirmed by a senior presidential official. If approved by the National Assembly, Han will be the first female prime minister in Lee’s government and the second in South Korea’s history after Han Myeong-sook. The outgoing Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who was the first prime minister under Lee’s administration, is stepping down, possibly to contest for the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party.
Han Seong-sook, a former CEO of the online portal giant Naver with a background in the internet industry, assumed her current role at the start of Lee’s administration. The presidential chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, praised Han’s capabilities in leading South Korea’s growth in the era of artificial intelligence. Kang also acknowledged Prime Minister Kim’s contributions, attributing the government’s policy successes to his performance.
The reshuffle in leadership coincides with the first anniversary of the Lee administration, which began on June 4 last year. President Lee is set to hold a press conference on Monday to mark his first year in office and outline his policy agenda for the upcoming year. Reports suggest that a team has been assembled by the Prime Minister’s Office to assist Han Seong-sook in preparing for her confirmation hearing before the parliament.
