South Korea's competition in artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from a technological race to a contest over national governance systems. Countries that excel in utilizing AI are likely to emerge as future winners, surpassing those that merely produce semiconductors.
In this context, President Lee Jae-myung has made an unexpected move by nominating Han Seong-sook, the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups, as the Prime Minister candidate. Han has led the country's largest internet platform and has firsthand experience in the transformation of AI, data, commerce, content, and robotics.
Since taking office as Minister, she has implemented policies to promote AI as a growth tool for small and medium-sized enterprises. The presidential office has described her as the "right person to complete the AI transition."
The key question remains: How quickly can Han Seong-sook advance South Korea's national AI transition?
One of Han's most notable characteristics is that she is not a politician. She began her career as a journalist and was a founding member of Empas, later overseeing services at Naver and eventually becoming its CEO. She has experienced the growth of South Korea's internet industry firsthand, leading Naver through its golden age by driving mobile transformation and expanding into Naver Pay, shopping, webtoons, and AI.
President Lee's decision to nominate her stems from her background as an IT company leader and her experience as Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, positioning her as a suitable candidate to lead the AI transition and foster growth for all citizens.
Traditionally, the role of the Prime Minister has been to connect politics and administration. However, in the AI era, the Prime Minister's role may shift to connecting technology, industry, and government. Han has the potential to become South Korea's first "platform Prime Minister."
Han emphasizes that AI is not just a new technology but a framework for national governance. Immediately after her nomination, she stated, "I will accelerate the AI transition and innovation." She also highlighted her commitment to creating growth opportunities for all citizens amid the industrial restructuring accelerated by AI. This perspective is crucial.
Until now, South Korea's AI policies have primarily focused on semiconductor and data center investments and research and development. However, AI is a universal technology that will ultimately transform industries, administration, education, healthcare, finance, and defense.
Having operated platforms at Naver, Han understands this reality better than anyone. She has witnessed how AI is reshaping search, shopping, and content creation.
If appointed Prime Minister, she is likely to elevate AI from being a policy of the Ministry of Science and Technology or the Ministry of Industry to a national strategy encompassing the entire government.
One of Han's flagship initiatives is the "Everyone's Startup Project." She envisions making entrepreneurship accessible to all citizens, not just a select elite. The President has publicly praised this project.
Starting a business in the AI era differs significantly from the past. Previously, entrepreneurship required capital, factories, and employees. Now, an individual can compete with global companies. AI can serve as a personal assistant, developer, designer, and marketer. Han understands this transformation better than anyone, having supported numerous creators, small businesses, and startups during her time at Naver.
If she becomes Prime Minister, South Korea's AI policies may shift from supporting large corporations to fostering a national entrepreneurship agenda.
One of Han's strongest policy pushes has been the AI transformation of manufacturing, referred to as AX (AI Transformation). She recently stated, "Starting with K-food, I will actively support AI transformation across the beauty and fashion industries." She emphasized that AI transformation is a key task for securing competitiveness.
This is not merely a smart factory initiative; it is a declaration to transform South Korea's manufacturing sector into an AI-driven industry.
While Germany has pursued Industry 4.0, South Korea must lead an AI manufacturing revolution. Major companies like Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, and SK Hynix, as well as millions of small businesses, must be able to leverage AI.
Han is a policymaker who understands this well. During her time at Naver, she invested 500 billion won in AI over five years and led the development of HyperCLOVA, robotics, autonomous driving, and the establishment of AI research belts.
If appointed Prime Minister, this experience could be expanded into a national manufacturing innovation strategy.
South Korea currently has AI ministries but lacks an AI government. There is an AI budget, but AI administration is lacking. The AI industry exists, but a national AI strategy is still in its infancy.
If Han Seong-sook's administration begins, the core of change could start here. She would be the first Prime Minister with experience in platform operations.
The essence of a platform is connectivity—connecting people to people, businesses to consumers, and government to citizens.
The same applies to an AI government. It must connect administrative data, link ministries, and integrate citizen services. In this regard, Han Seong-sook could become not just a Prime Minister but a designer of South Korea's AI government.
The core of the national AI transition is its people. Many associate national AI strategies with semiconductors and data centers. However, Han Seong-sook's philosophy is different. Since her time at Naver, she has promoted the "Project Flower" to support small businesses, creators, and startups, prioritizing ecosystem growth over platform success.
Ultimately, what matters is not the AI technology itself but the people who use it. The key is for South Koreans to leverage AI to create more businesses, generate greater value, and create more jobs.
Han Seong-sook's success as Prime Minister will depend on this. The measure of her effectiveness will not be how many AIs she develops but how much she transforms the lives of citizens through AI.
Having served as Naver's CEO, a platform innovator, and the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, she is now the Prime Minister candidate. Immediately after her nomination, she identified the AI transition and economic recovery as her top priorities.
If she passes the National Assembly's confirmation, she is likely to become the first Prime Minister with a CEO background and a deep understanding of AI.
The national AI transition cannot be achieved solely through semiconductors. The government must understand AI, businesses must utilize it, and citizens must incorporate it into their daily lives.
The significance of Han Seong-sook's administration lies here: the first experiment of an "AI Prime Minister" in South Korea is about to begin.
Han Seong-sook, Prime Minister candidate, was born in 1967 in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province. She graduated from Sookmyung Women's University with a degree in English literature. After working as a computer journalist, she became a founding member of Empas and later oversaw search and service areas at NHN and Naver. In 2017, she became the first female CEO of Naver, leading mobile transformation and expanding into Naver Pay, shopping, webtoons, and AI. In 2025, she was appointed as the first Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Startups under President Lee Jae-myung, where she promoted the revitalization of the startup ecosystem and AI transformation in manufacturing. In June 2026, she was nominated as Prime Minister candidate, with the presidential office stating she is "the right person to lead the AI transition and growth for all."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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