South Korea's Lee Jae-myung Taps Former Tech CEO Han Duck-soo as Potential First Female Prime Minister in Two Decades

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has nominated former Minister of SMEs and Startups, Han Duck-soo, to serve as the nation's next Prime Minister. If confirmed by the National Assembly, Han will become only the second woman to hold the post in South Korea's constitutional history, and the first in nearly two decades.

The nomination comes shortly after the ruling Democratic Party secured a majority in recent local elections. However, the party suffered defeats in high-profile mayoral contests, including Seoul. The elections were also marred by controversies over ballot shortages at polling stations, leading to the resignation of the election commission chief.

Han, 58, previously served as the CEO of NAVER, South Korea's largest internet company. President Lee highlighted her business and technology background, expressing hope that she can lead economic and public welfare initiatives during a period of strategic transformation driven by AI innovation and global crises.

The first and only previous female Prime Minister of South Korea was Han Myeong-sook, who served under President Roh Moo-hyun from 2006 to 2007. While the Democratic Party holds a majority in the 300-seat parliament, Han's nomination will undergo rigorous scrutiny during parliamentary confirmation hearings, especially given the tense political atmosphere following the election disputes.