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New Prime Minister Kim Min-seok assumes post amid speculation over office's role

Published: 04 Jul. 2025, 07:00

Kim Min-seok, newly-appointed prime minister, greets lawmakers during a plenary session at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 3. [NEWS1]

Kim Min-seok stepped into the role of prime minister on Thursday, officially becoming Korea's second-highest leader under President Lee Jae Myung.

Even during the past month as prime minister nominee, Kim broke precedent by publicly attending ministry briefings and policy roundtables, quickly carving out an image as a “prime minister who gets things done.”

Among insiders in the ruling Democratic Party (DP), views on Kim converge on two words: practical and hands-on. President Lee underscored this trait on his first day in office when he nominated Kim, calling him “a politician who answers the people’s voices through action.”

Party officials expect Kim to take an expansive approach early in the administration. Shortly after winning parliamentary confirmation on Thursday, Kim declared, “I will be an early-rising prime minister who thinks ahead and takes initiative as the president’s chief aide.”

He also stressed that “overcoming the economic crisis created by forces of tyranny is the top priority.”

Kim Min-seok, Korea's newly-appointed prime minister, heads to the main chamber of the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 3. [YONHAP]

Many believe he will continue to steer policy from behind the scenes, thanks to his close, strategic rapport with Lee.

A second-term Democratic lawmaker told the JoongAng Ilbo, “He’s 15 years younger than former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and will energetically support the president on everything from economic to diplomatic fronts.”

Some predict Kim will shoulder urgent domestic issues — like steering the economy out of its slowdown and boosting domestic demand — while Lee focuses on the diplomatic minefield ahead.

“We’ve got tariffs, defense costs and other matters to work through with the United States, and China is also sounding out a Victory Day visit," a senior lawmaker noted. "This is exactly when a prime minister should keep domestic affairs steady.”

At his confirmation hearing on June 24, Kim promised, “Over the next 100 days, I will rapidly advance policies that can be executed immediately, starting with easing the burdens on people suffering from high prices and a sluggish economy.”

Kim Min-seok, newly-appointed prime minister, walks after a confirmation vote on his appointment at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 3. [YONHAP]

Political circles are now watching whether Kim can move beyond being a practical prime minister to become a genuine political heavyweight.

Lee, who campaigned on a constitutional amendment to let the National Assembly recommend the prime minister, may also empower Kim as part of that agenda.

This effectively lays the groundwork for the prime minister to serve not as a nominal No. 2 but as a substantive second-in-command.

Since the new administration took office, there have been moves to reorganize core state functions under the Prime Minister’s Office.
The State Affairs Planning Advisory Committee is reportedly exploring ways to bring key functions from heavyweight ministries — like budgeting, investigations and trade — under the prime minister’s purview.

Meanwhile, a bill already submitted to the National Assembly would establish a National Investigation Commission under the Prime Minister’s Office to oversee all investigative agencies, part of the broader drive to curtail prosecutorial powers.

The powerful Public Institution Management Committee and Korea Lottery Commission, now under the Ministry of Economy and Finance, could also shift to the prime minister’s orbit.

If these trends are ultimately codified into law, Kim would hold significantly more real power than his predecessors.

“Kim will wield at least as much influence as [former Prime Minister] Lee Nak-yon did under the Moon Jae-in administration,” one DP official told the JoongAng Ilbo.

Kim Min-seok, newly-appointed prime minister, center, partakes in a YouTube livestream hosted by Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Byung-joo, left, ahead of a confirmation vote at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on July 3. [YONHAP]

Still, Kim’s inner circle is keen to tamp down such expectations.

A DP lawmaker close to Kim said, “Of course, the big-picture governance belongs to the presidential office, while the prime minister handles the granular details. Any blueprint for the Prime Minister’s Office ultimately depends on the president’s design.”

Kim’s own choice of words of being the president's "chief aide" underscores that caution.

“The prime minister is less a partner in governance and more the president’s top aide,” a senior aide from the Prime Minister's Office explained.

Given Lee’s firm grip over both his administration and party, many expect Kim will not push himself to the fore.

Ruling party figures also note that it was Lee who brought Kim back to political prominence after a long slump following his defeat in the 2002 Seoul mayoral race. Having staged his comeback through a tight political partnership with Lee, Kim is unlikely to stray far from the president’s direction.

At his confirmation hearing, when asked whether he would run for Seoul mayor in next year’s local elections, Kim replied, “I told the president I would give everything I have to this post, thinking it could well be the final chapter of my political life.”

DP insiders believe that whether Kim ultimately enters the Seoul mayoral race depends on what kind of card Lee decides to play for the local elections.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY SHIM SAE-ROM [[email protected]]