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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has nominated Han Seong-sook, the incumbent minister of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as the next prime minister, according to multiple reports from the presidential office and Yonhap News Agency. If confirmed by the National Assembly, Han would become the Lee government's first female prime minister and only the second woman to hold the post in the country's history.
Coverage Comparison
The nomination was announced on Sunday, June 7, and was covered by several outlets, including Dawn, the Jerusalem Post, The Hindu, and Yonhap News. All reports confirmed the nomination and highlighted Han's background as a former CEO of Naver, South Korea's leading internet portal. The Jerusalem Post and The Hindu emphasized that Han is expected to lead the country's AI transformation, quoting presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, who said Han would be able to transform South Korea's economic growth—driven by the semiconductor boom and rising exports—into inclusive growth that reaches everyone, including small and medium-sized enterprises.
Yonhap reported additional details about Han's career, noting that she began as a reporter at a local computer journal, joined Empas as a founding member in 1997, and later moved to NHN, Naver's predecessor, where she helped transform the company into South Korea's top internet platform. She became Naver's first female CEO in 2017 and was named one of Fortune Magazine's 50 Most Powerful Women in the World from 2017 to 2020.
The Jerusalem Post noted that the role of prime minister in South Korea's presidential system is largely ceremonial and administrative. Yonhap reported that current Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is stepping down, reportedly to run for the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party at its convention in August or September. This was also mentioned by Dawn, which stated that Kim is widely expected to run for the party leadership.
Key Claims
- Nomination: All sources confirm that President Lee nominated Han Seong-sook as prime minister on Sunday, June 7, 2026.
- Background: Han is the incumbent minister of SMEs and Startups and a former CEO of Naver. She served as Lee's first SMEs minister since his inauguration.
- Historical significance: If confirmed, Han would become the Lee government's first female prime minister and South Korea's second female prime minister, after Han Myeong-sook, who served from 2006 to 2007.
- AI transformation: Multiple reports quote presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik saying Han is expected to lead the country's AI transformation and promote inclusive growth.
- Prime minister's role: The Jerusalem Post and The Hindu note that the prime minister's role is largely ceremonial and administrative under the presidential system.
- Outgoing prime minister: Kim Min-seok is stepping down to run for the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party, as reported by Yonhap and Dawn.
- Confirmation hearing: Yonhap reported that the ruling and opposition parties agreed to hold a two-day confirmation hearing for Han next week. The hearing was scheduled by a special parliamentary committee.
President Lee, during a press conference marking his first year in office, explained his choice, saying he picked Han rather than a career politician because she is the right person from a practical standpoint, while the ruling party can handle political aspects. He added, "Our Cabinet is going to run at full speed under the given circumstances and I determined that SMEs Minister Han is the right person. She works very hard and does a great job."
Han also held a lunch meeting with young officials and interns at the prime minister's office on June 12, where she listened to their concerns about housing prices and job difficulties. She was quoted as saying, "What is more important than anything else in the course of policy making is to directly listen to the voices of youths and reflect them in policy." She promised to communicate with youths more often if she takes office.