Prime Minister of South Korea

Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea
Coat of arms of the Republic of Korea
Incumbent: Han Seung-soo
Term length	appointed by the President with the National Assembly's approval
Inaugural	Pak Yonghyo
Formation	1895

South Korea
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The Prime Minister of South Korea is appointed by the President with the National Assembly's approval. Unlike prime ministers in the parliamentary system, the Prime Minister of South Korea is not required to be a member of parliament. The Prime Minister assists the President, supervises ministries, and recommends ministers. The Prime Minister is the first in the order of succession to discharge the duties of the office of the President as the acting-president should the president be unable to discharge his office. The last person to have served as the acting-president was Goh Kun during the impeachment trial of President Roh Moo-hyun in 2004.

The post is currently held by Han Seung Soo, who was appointed by new president Lee Myung Bak on 29th February, 2008.

The position was created in August 1948, when South Korea was founded, and was held by Lee Bum Suk until 1950. The title was Chief Cabinet Minister from 1961 until 1963.

A Prime Minister appointed by the President but not confirmed by the Assembly is known as the acting Prime Minister. The Prime Minister becomes acting president if the president dies, resigns or is impeached.

[edit] List of Prime Ministers of Korea (1895-Present)

[edit] Prime Ministers during the Monarchy (1895-1910)

The title of Prime Minister (style wijongdaeshin) was created during the last years of the Great Han Empire and during the early years of Japanese occupation:

• Pak Yonghyo (1895)
• Pak Chesun (1895) (1st time)
• Kim Hongjip (1895 - 1896)
• Han Kyusol (1896) (1st time)
• Yi Wan Yong (1896) (1st time)
• Yong Yong Sun (1897)
• Yu Kuihwan (1898) (acting)
• Shin Kisun (1899 - 1901)
• Yong Yongsun (1901 - 1903)
• Yi Kummyong (1904)
• Han Kyusol (1905) (2nd time)
• Pak Chesun (1905 - 1907) (2nd time)
• Yi Wan Yong (1907 - 1909) (2nd time)
• Pak Chesun (1909 - 1910) (3rd time)
• Yi Wan Yong (1910) (3rd time)

[edit] Provisional Government in Exile (1919)

During the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Exile in Shanghai, China, a PM was create for a brief few days to replace the Chairman of the Provisional Legislative Assembly:

• Syngman Rhee 1919

The role was changed over to Chief Executive in 1919; changed again as Premier 1919-1926 and finally as President from 1926-1948.

[edit] Prime Ministers of the Republic of Korea (1948-1961)

• Lee Beom Suk (1900-1972) (1 August 1948 - 21 April 1950)
• Shin Sung Mo (1898-1960) (21 April - 23 November 1950) (acting)
• Chang Myon (1899-1966) (23 November 1950 - 24 April 1952) (1st time)
• Yi Yun Yong (1890-1975) (24 April - 6 May 1952) (acting)
• Chang Taek Sang (1893-1969) (6 May - 6 October 1952)
• Paik Too Chin (1908-1993) (9 October 1952 - 17 June 1954) (1st time, acting to 24 April 1953)
• Pyun Yung Tai (1892-1969) (28 June - 28 November 1954)
• From 1954 to 1960 the post was abolished
• Ho Chong (1896-1989) (15 June - 18 August 1960)
• Chang Myon (18 August 1960 - 18 May 1961) (2nd time)

[edit] Chief Cabinet Ministers (Military Rule, 1961-1963)

• Chang Do Yung (b. 1923) (21 May - 3 July 1961)
• Song Yo Chan (1918-1980) (3 July 1961 - 16 June 1962)
• General Park Chung Hee (1917-1979) (18 June - 10 July 1962)
• Kim Hyun Chul (1901-1989) (10 July 1962 - 17 December 1963)

[edit] Prime Ministers of the Republic of Korea (1963-Present)

• Choi Doo Sun (1894-1974) (17 December 1963 - 10 May 1964)
• Chung Il Kwon (1917-1994) (10 May 1964 - 20 December 1970)
• Paik Too Chin (1908-1993) (20 December 1970 - 4 June 1971 (2nd time)
• Kim Jong Pil (b. 1926) (4 June 1971 - 19 December 1975) (1st time)
• Choi Kyu Hah (1919-2006) (19 December 1975 - 6 December 1979) (acting to 13 March 1976)
• Shin Hyon Hwak (1920-2007) (12 December 1979 - 22 May 1980) (1st time)
• Park Choong Hoon (22 May - 2 September 1980) (acting)
• Nam Duck Woo (b. 1924) (2 September 1980 - 4 January 1982) (acting to 22 September 1980)
• Yoo Chang Soon (b. 1918) (4 January - 25 June 1982) (acting to 23 January 1982)
• Kim Sang Hyup (b. 1920 - d. 1995) (25 June 1982 - 14 October 1983) (acting to 21 September 1982)
• Chin Iee Chong (b. 1921) (15 October 1983 - 19 February 1985) (acting to 17 October 1983)
• Lho Shin Yong (b. 1930) (19 February 1985 - 26 May 1987) (acting to 16 May 1985)
• Lee Han Key (b. 1917 - d. 1995) (26 May - 14 July 1987) (acting)
• Kim Chung Yul (b. 1917 - d. 1992) (14 July 1987 - 25 February 1988) (acting to 7 August 1987)
• Lee Hyun Jae (b. 1929) (25 February - 5 December 1988) (acting to 2 March 1988)
• Kang Young Hoon (b. 1922) (5 December 1988 - 27 December 1990) (acting to 16 December 1988)
• Ro Jai Bong (b. 1936) (27 December 1990 - 24 May 1991)
• Shin Hyon Hwak (b. 1920) (24 May - 8 July 1991) (2nd time, acting)
• Chung Won Shik (b. 1928) (8 July 1991 - 8 October 1992)
• Hyun Soong Jong (b. 1919) (8 October 1992 - 25 February 1993)
• Hwang In Sung (b. 1926) (25 February - 17 December 1993)
• Lee Hoi Chang (b. 1935) (17 December 1993 - 22 April 1994)
• Lee Yung Duk (b. 1926) (29 April - 17 December 1994)
• Lee Hong Koo (b. 1934) (17 December 1994 - 18 December 1995)
• Lee Soo Sung (b. 1939) (18 December 1995 - 4 March 1997)
• Goh Kun (b. 1938) (4 March 1997 - 3 March 1998) (1st time)
• Kim Jong Pil (b. 1926) (3 March 1998 - 13 January 2000) (2nd time, acting to 17 August 1998)
• Park Tae Joon (b. 1927) (13 January - 19 May 2000)
• Lee Hun Jai (b. 1944) (19 May - 22 May 2000) (1st time, acting)
• Lee Han Dong (b. 1934) (22 May 2000 - 11 July 2002) (acting to 29 June 2000)
• Chang Sang (b. 1939) (11 July - 31 July 2002) (acting)
• Jeon Yun Churl (b. 1939) (31 July - 9 August 2002) (acting)
• Chang Dae Whan (b. 1952) (9 August - 10 September 2002) (acting)
• Kim Suk Soo (b. 1932) (10 September 2002 - 26 February 2003) (acting to 5 October 2002)
• Goh Kun (b. 1938) (26 February 2003 - 25 May 2004) (2nd time)
• Lee Hun Jai (b. 1944) (25 May - 30 June 2004) (2nd time, acting)
• Lee Hae Chan (b. 1952) (30 June 2004 - 14 March 2006)
• Han Duck-soo (b. 1949) (14 March - 19 April 2006 (1st time, acting)
• Han Myung Sook (b. 1944) (19 April 2006 - 7 March 2007) (acting)
• Kwon O-kyu (b. 1952) (7 March 2007 - 2 April 2007) (acting)^[1]
• Han Duck-soo (b. 1949) (2 April 2007 - 29 February 2008)
• Han Seung-soo (b. 1936) (29 February 2008 - present)

[edit] See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• Politics of South Korea

[edit] External links

• List of Prime Ministers, with photos
• South Korea

[edit] References