Han Seong-sook appointed prime minister despite PPP boycott

President Lee Jae Myung formally appointed Han Seong-sook as the new prime minister after a parliamentary confirmation, the Blue House said late on Tuesday.

Han’s term started on Wednesday. 

The Blue House’s announcement came shortly after the ruling Democratic Party (DP)-led National Assembly passed her confirmation motion — with 166 votes in support — on Tuesday night. 

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote. However, the motion only needed 151 votes in favor to clear the chamber, so the DP, with 161 seats, was able to pass it despite the PPP’s position. 

The PPP’s boycott came after a series of controversies involving Han, including a data breach tied to the government’s audition-style startup program, emerged last week. 

Han will serve as a second prime minister under the Lee administration, which launched on June 4 of last year. Kim Min-seok was the first, serving from July 4 of last year to Tuesday. He tendered his resignation on June 7 in a move seen as a bid to run for DP leader. 

For Han, the appointment marks her second role under the Lee administration, under which she served as the minister for small- and medium-sized enterprises and startups. Before her political career, she worked as the CEO of the Korean online platform Naver from 2017 to 2022. 

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]