SMEs and Startups Minister Han Seong-sook departs from the Financial Supervisory Service training center in Seoul’s Tongui neighborhood on June 7, 2026, after being tapped to serve as the next prime minister. (Park Jong-shik/Hankyoreh)
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung tapped Han Seong-sook, the minister for SMEs and startups, to serve as the country’s next prime minister, replacing Kim Min-seok. The announcement came Sunday during a briefing by Kang Hoon-sik, the Blue House chief of staff, at the presidential office.“Han is expected to use her experience as the head of an IT giant and as the minister of SMEs and startups to smoothly complete the generational mission of the AI transformation, and is thought to be the best candidate who will ensure growth for all in South Korea, instead of a select few,” Kang said. “Han is a self-made leader who began her career as an ordinary office worker before rising through the ranks to become the head of a prominent IT giant,” Kang said. “If we combine Han’s innovative spirit and experience as SME minister, alongside this opportunity to become prime minister, we will be able to transform the growth of the Korean economy, currently driven by the semiconductor boom and rising exports, into growth that benefits everyone, including small and medium-sized enterprises, small business owners, and local businesses,” the chief of staff said.
