The South Korean Presidential Office said that President Lee Jae Myung has nominated Ms. Han Seong-sook, Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups, to hold the position of Prime Minister.
If approved by the National Assembly, Ms. Han will become the first female Prime Minister of South Korea in the past 20 years.
The information was announced by Chief of Office Kang Hoon-sik at a press conference. According to Mr. Kang, Ms. Han is expected to play an important role in South Korea's artificial intelligence (AI) transformation process.
Before joining the government, Ms. Han served as CEO of Naver, one of the largest internet corporations in South Korea.
Mr. Kang said that Ms. Han has the ability to transform South Korea's economic growth momentum, which is driven by the boom of the semiconductor industry and increased exports, into more inclusive growth.
According to him, the goal is to ensure that economic development achievements are not only concentrated in key sectors but also spread to small and medium-sized enterprises.
In the presidential political system of South Korea, the position of prime minister is mainly ceremonial and administrative. However, the nomination of Ms. Han still attracts attention because this may be the first time in two decades that South Korea has had a female prime minister. Previously, from 2006 to 2007, South Korea had Ms. Han Myeong-sook who used to hold the position of prime minister.
