Seoul, June 7: South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has nominated Han Sung-sook, the current Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as the country’s next Prime Minister. A senior official from the presidential office announced this on Sunday.
If approved by the National Assembly, Han Sung-sook will become the first female Prime Minister of South Korea and only the second woman to hold the position, following Han Myeong-sook, who served from 2006 to 2007.
Current Prime Minister Kim Min-sok is stepping down. According to Yonhap News Agency, he is preparing to participate in the ruling Democratic Party’s leadership elections scheduled for August or September.
While announcing the nomination, Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik stated, “Han Sung-sook is capable of advancing AI-based transformations and accelerating the country’s inclusive economic growth.” President Lee also highlighted her experience in the tech sector, particularly her role as the former CEO of the online platform company Naver.
The government praised the outgoing Prime Minister Kim Min-sok for his tenure, noting the positive outcomes of his policies for the nation. Recently, President Lee Jae-myung completed his first year in office.
On Monday, President Lee will hold a press conference to mark the completion of his first year, where he will share his policy priorities and development agenda for the upcoming year.
The government has also indicated that a special team has already been formed to facilitate the parliamentary approval process, assisting the nominated Prime Minister with the hearing and confirmation procedures.
This appointment is seen as a significant step towards technology-driven governance and AI-centered development strategies in South Korea.
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