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Prime minister nominee vows to prioritize livelihoods, national unity

Published: 05 Jun. 2025, 13:14

Kim Min-seok, nominee for prime minister, speaks with the press in front of a confirmation hearing preparation office that has been set up at the Financial Supervisory Service’s training center in Jongno District, central Seoul, on June 5. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The nominee for prime minister said Thursday that his top priority will be the revival of the nation's sluggish economy and the promotion of national unity if he is appointed, comparing the current economic situation with the financial crisis in 1997.

Four-term lawmaker Kim Min-seok, the nominee to become President Lee Jae-myung's first prime minister, made the remarks earlier in the day as he prepares for a parliamentary confirmation hearing to be appointed to the role.

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"It is currently a difficult situation, like a second IMF crisis," Kim said, referring to the Asian financial crisis. "I will engrave in [my heart] two things every day — the public's livelihood and unity."

Kim said the current economic situation is more difficult than the crisis in the 1990s, noting that the country's economy at the time had been on an upward trajectory.

"Now the economic trend itself is going downward and stagnating," he said. "The public's livelihood is far more burdened. What is more important is that the international environment — the United States, Japan, China, Russia and North Korea — is multiple times more complex."

Kim said he believed that prioritizing livelihoods in state affairs would be important, noting that he has discussed such matters with Lee since the presidential race.

Regarding potential picks for members of Lee's administration, Kim said the president is prioritizing their level of competence in state affairs and seeking a diverse group.

Kim will be cleared for appointment once he receives parliamentary approval following a confirmation hearing. In Korea, the prime minister is the only Cabinet post that requires parliamentary approval.

Yonhap