Nominee Han Seongsuk Recites Idol Song 'REDRED' Lyrics: "I Will Boldly Overcome Barriers"

A Bold Nomination: Non-Politician and IT Executive Selected as Prime Minister Candidate
First Female Prime Minister in 20 Years If Confirmed by the National Assembly

Han Seongsuk Avoids Direct Answer on Multiple Home Ownership

"I Will Respond Sincerely at the Hearing"

Han Seongsuk, the Minister of SMEs and Startups (age 59), who has been nominated as the next Prime Minister to lead the second cabinet of the Lee Jaemyung administration, stated on June 8, "I will devote all my efforts to overcoming the current emergency situation facing the livelihood economy." She avoided giving a direct answer to last year's controversy regarding multiple home ownership at the time of her appointment as minister.

Prime Minister nominee Han Seongsuk is arriving at the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at the Financial Supervisory Service Training Center in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul on June 8, 2026, and expressing her feelings about the nomination. Photo by Jo Yongjun

On the morning of June 8, at the office of the hearing preparation team set up at the Financial Supervisory Service Training Institute in Jongno-gu, Seoul, nominee Han met with reporters on her first day and said, "I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility and a heavy sense of duty." She added, "In the second year of the administration, I believe it is important to quickly and widely spread 'tangible and visible changes' that the public can feel, building on the achievements of the past year."

When asked about her resolve as the next Prime Minister, she quoted lyrics from the idol group Cortis' song "REDRED"—"RED, the signal has changed (GREEN), over the fence (GREED)"—and declared, "I will do my best to move forward boldly, without holding back, and to overcome barriers according to the changing times and signals." Some have raised concerns that, as a non-politician, she may lack the authority to lead the cabinet. However, by referencing the lyrics of a popular idol group's song, she underscored the 'changing times,' emphasizing her suitability as a Prime Minister nominee.

However, regarding the 'multiple homes controversy' that arose during her appointment as Minister of SMEs and Startups last year, she said, "I will sincerely answer questions on the matter during the hearing." Han was known to own four properties in her name, but it has recently been reported that she plans to sell three of them.

The Office for Government Policy Coordination has formed a hearing preparation team headed by First Deputy Director Kim Youngsoo. It is understood that an informal meeting with nominee Han took place at the team’s office the previous afternoon.

If Han is appointed Prime Minister following the hearing, she will become the second female Prime Minister in South Korean history, following Han Myeongsook, who took office in 2006. Notably, her background as a former CEO of an IT company and a non-politician is unprecedented. Chief Presidential Secretary Kang, who directly announced Han's nomination, described her as "a self-made leader who started as an ordinary office worker and rose to the head of a leading digital company," adding, "She is expected to be the right person to lead the era-defining transition to AI and to drive growth for all of South Korea, not just a select few."

The National Assembly is expected to begin negotiations between the ruling and opposition parties to set a date for Han's confirmation hearing. In the case of current Prime Minister Kim Minseok, the process took a total of 29 days from nomination on June 4 to inauguration. Based on this precedent, it is likely that Han's hearing will be held in mid to late June, with her appointment potentially taking place as early as early next month. Han stated, "I promise to faithfully provide all materials requested by the National Assembly and to approach the process with humility."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Kim, who officially announced his intention to run for party leadership immediately after the nomination of his successor, plans to remain in office until Han passes the National Assembly hearing, in order to minimize any administrative vacuum.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.