Prime minister nominee Han Seong-sook said on the 8th that she feels a very heavy sense of responsibility after being nominated at a turning point as the government enters its second year.
On her way to work at the Financial Supervisory Service training institute in Tongui-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, on this day, Han said she would put all efforts into overcoming the urgent livelihood and economic emergency, and stated accordingly.
She said she deeply appreciates the hard work of Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, who, as the first prime minister of the Lee Jae-myung administration, took the helm of national recovery and achieved remarkable results, and added that she believes those achievements should be carried forward and the tangible, visible changes that people can feel should be spread faster and wider.
She added that amid industry restructuring accelerated by artificial intelligence (AI) and a global complex crisis, she would spur an AI transformation and achieve a shift in the structure so that its fruits connect to opportunities and growth for all people of Korea.
Asked about the controversy over owning multiple homes, she avoided a direct answer, saying she would respond faithfully at the confirmation hearing. Han currently ranks first in assets among cabinet members, having reported 22.3 billion won, and is known to own four dwellings, including an apartment in Jamsil, Seoul, and a detached house in Samcheong-dong, with moves underway to dispose of three of them. The fact that she is a multi-homeowner is likely to become an issue at the prime minister confirmation hearing.
Regarding the criticism that not being a former politician could be a weakness, she answered that every prime minister should play a different role suited to the times, and said she intends to focus on what is required of her and on solving the problems she can solve.
As for a policy she would rapidly expand across all ministries if she becomes prime minister, she picked "cutting paperwork." She explained that the volume, content, and formats of documents government ministries require from the public are often extremely difficult, and that if administrative data are consolidated well, there are parts the public would not need to submit, so processing with speed would feel like a tangible change.