Who is Kim Min-Seok, South Korea's new prime minister?

Kim Min-Seok (61) was inaugurated as the new Prime Minister of South Korea. On the 3rd of this month, the National Assembly passed the motion approving Kim's appointment with a majority. Kim said, "I want to overcome the economic crisis created by tyrannical forces.
That is my first task. As a presidential adviser, I will be a prime minister who thinks quickly and takes responsibility first," he said, expressing his aspirations while also criticizing the previous administration.
In the presidential election on the 3rd of last month, Lee Jae-myung of the progressive Democratic Party of Korea
On the first day of his inauguration, Lee nominated his close aide Kim as his candidate for prime minister on the 4th of the same month. In South Korea, the prime minister is the second in power after the president, and Kim, whom Lee nominated as his candidate for prime minister,
Kim Dae-jung, former member of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, was a student at Seoul National University and was involved in student activism, including serving as chairman of the National Student Union. He led the democratization movement and was even imprisoned.
He built his career as a close aide to the president. About 25 years ago, he was selected as one of the "100 Leaders of the 21st Century" by Newsweek magazine and was said to be a future presidential candidate.
He served as a senior member of Lee's campaign team in the 2022 presidential election and the current presidential election held on June 3. Lee said of his close aide Kim, "He has insight into national politics in general."
He has long-standing ties with Japanese politicians such as Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister's Advisor Akihisa Nagashima. On the 17th of last month, at a press conference for foreign media in Seoul, he described the
At the press conference, Kim said of Japan-South Korea relations, "There have been many twists and turns, but we have consistently maintained good relations," and indicated his intention to place importance on dialogue between the two countries.
Kim has made harsh remarks about Japan in the past. During the Moon Jae-in administration, the South Korean government established the "Japan Economic Invasion Prevention Committee" in response to Japan's export restrictions on semiconductor materials.
At the time, Kim said, "If the Abe administration does not stop its economic warfare and apologize for historical issues, we will boycott the Tokyo Olympics."
The appointment of a new prime minister requires approval by the National Diet, but the main opposition People's Power Party has raised suspicions about Kim's wealth accumulation and the fact that his children received special treatment in university admissions.
In addition, the civic group "Committee for the Welfare of the Common People" said that a confectionery shop that Kim's spouse opened in Seoul in 2023 received special treatment from a church in the same area as the shop.
The committee filed charges against Kim with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on suspicion of abuse of power, violation of the Prohibition of Solicitation Act, and violation of the Political Funds Act. Meanwhile, Kim has not directly confronted the various allegations surrounding him.
On the 16th of last month, he posted on social media, "I will explain the allegations publicly one by one every day and ask for the public's judgment."
On the 24th and 25th of last month, a personnel hearing for Kim was held in the National Assembly, and the suspicions surrounding Kim were addressed.
The ruling and opposition parties engaged in a fierce battle over this matter. The ruling party demanded the submission of documents regarding the process of Kim's asset creation. In response, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea said that the raising of unfounded suspicions was a breach of Kim's abilities and qualifications.
In the end, Kim did not submit the documents requested by the People Power Party, and the People Power Party refused to attend the confirmation hearing from the afternoon of the second day. The hearing broke down.
As the ruling and opposition parties could not agree on the adoption of the report on the progress of personnel hearings, the approval process was to be completed through a vote at the National Diet plenary session.
The bill will pass if the majority of the seats are in favor. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea holds a large majority of seats in the National Assembly. The bill was put to a vote in the National Assembly plenary session on the 3rd of this month, with 173 out of 179 members in attendance voting in favor.
The bill was passed with three votes in favor, three against, and three invalid votes. Kim was chosen to become the first prime minister of the Lee administration. The People Power Party did not participate in the vote, claiming that Kim was unfit to be prime minister.
After the vote, Kim told reporters, "I will receive the will of the people as if it were heaven, implement the president's policies on the ground, and reflect the wisdom of lawmakers in national politics, regardless of party affiliation."
On the 4th, Kim's first day on the job was to talk with members of agricultural groups who held a protest rally in front of the presidential office. The groups were protesting against the proposed amendments to the Grain Control Law, which would require the government to buy up excess rice production.
The government is opposed to the fact that Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryong, who previously opposed the "Four Agricultural Laws," is expected to remain in her position in the new administration, just as she did in the previous administration.
Regarding the plan to keep Song in his position, Kim said, "Even in the new administration, keeping at least one minister from the previous administration in his position is in keeping with the trend of national unity.
The Dong-A Ilbo newspaper, which reported on Kim's first official duties, said, "With the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, the government reorganization currently under review will see the budget office placed under the Prime Minister's Office.
"It is possible that the prime minister may be granted the power to adjust investigation powers and other such authority, so the prime minister's powers are expected to become stronger than ever before."