South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has nominated Han Seongsook, the country's minister for small and midsize businesses and startups and former chief executive of internet giant Naver, as prime minister, marking a potentially historic appointment for the country, Reuters reported.
If approved by the National Assembly, Han, 59, will become South Korea's first female prime minister in two decades and only the second woman to hold the post after Han Myeong-sook, who served from 2006 to 2007.
Announcing the nomination in Seoul, presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said Lee selected Han because of her unique blend of experience in both the technology sector and government at a time when artificial intelligence is reshaping economies worldwide.
ALSO READ:
“Based on her experience as the CEO of an IT company and as the SMEs minister, she is expected to successfully accomplish the era-defining task of the AI transition and lead growth for all Koreans, not just a segment of society,” Kang said.
According to The Korea Herald, Han is widely recognised as one of South Korea's most influential technology executives. After graduating from Sookmyung Women's University with a degree in English language and literature, she began her career as a technology reporter before moving into the internet industry. She later joined Empas, one of South Korea's early internet portal companies, where she led its search business.
In 2007, Han joined Naver and rose through the ranks, holding senior positions including search quality director and general service director. In 2017, she became Naver's first female CEO, overseeing the company's expansion in artificial intelligence and digital services. Following her departure as CEO in 2022, she led Naver's European business development efforts and later served as an adviser to the company and chair of the Korea Internet Enterprise Association.
ALSO READ:
Han subsequently entered public service as minister for SMEs and startups, where she launched the “Startup for Everyone Project” and pushed policies aimed at promoting business growth and innovation.
Kang described her as an inspirational leader who began her career as an ordinary office worker and rose to lead one of the country's premier digital companies.
The nomination comes as Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is expected to step down to pursue the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party. With Lee's party holding a majority in the 300-member National Assembly, Han's confirmation is widely expected unless major ethical concerns emerge.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.