Prime Minister of South Korea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of theRepublic of Korea |
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Standard of the Prime Minister
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Emblem of the Prime Minister
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| Executive branch of the Government of South Korea Prime Minister's Office |
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| Style |
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| Member of |
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| Residence | Chongni Gonggwan |
| Seat | Sejong City |
| Nominator | President |
| Appointer | President (Subject to the National Assembly's approval) |
| Term length | At the President's pleasure |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of South Korea |
| Precursor | Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea |
| Inaugural holder | Lee Beom-seok |
| Formation | 31 July 1948 |
| Deputy | Deputy Prime Minister |
| Salary | ₩191,000,000 annually |
| Website | |
| Prime Minister of South Korea | |
| Hangul |
국무총리
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| Hanja |
國務總理
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| Revised Romanization | gungmuchongni |
| McCune–Reischauer | kungmuch'ongni |
The prime minister of the Republic of Korea (Hangul: 국무총리; Hanja: 國務總理) is a very important political leader in South Korea. They are like the second-in-command to the President. The President chooses the prime minister, but the National Assembly (which is like South Korea's parliament) must agree. A prime minister can be a member of the National Assembly, but they don't have to be.
In South Korea, the President is both the country's main leader (head of state) and the leader of the government (head of government). This is different from some other countries where the prime minister is the main leader of the government. The prime minister in South Korea helps the President a lot. If the President can't do their job, the prime minister steps in as the acting president. This is similar to how a vice president works in some other countries.
The current prime minister is Han Duck-soo. He started his job on May 20, 2022.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The Korean words for prime minister are gungmu (국무/國務) and chongni (총리/總理). Gungmu means "state affairs" (things about running the country). Chongni means "prime minister" or "premier." So, the full title means "Prime Minister for State Affairs." However, in English, we just call them the "Prime Minister."
A Look at History
The job of prime minister was created on July 31, 1948. This was just before the government of South Korea officially began. Lee Beom-seok was the first person to hold this important role.
For a short time, from 1960 to 1961, South Korea had a different system. The prime minister, Chang Myon, became the most powerful person. The president had less power. But this changed after a military takeover in 1961. The title was also briefly changed to "Chief Cabinet Minister."
In recent years, prime ministers have sometimes resigned or been replaced. For example, in 2014, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won wanted to resign. But it took a long time to find someone new, so he stayed in office for a while. In 2015, Lee Wan-koo became prime minister but resigned a few months later.
What the Prime Minister Does
The prime minister is the President's main helper. The President is the actual leader of the government. The prime minister is the second most important person in the State Council of South Korea. This council is like the main group of government ministers.
The prime minister helps the President by:
- Looking after different government departments.
- Suggesting new ministers.
- Being the vice-chairperson of the State Council.
If the President cannot do their job, the prime minister takes over as the acting president. This happened recently with Han Duck-soo when President Yoon Suk Yeol was temporarily unable to perform his duties.
Sometimes, a person is called an "acting prime minister." This can happen if they have been chosen by the President but haven't been officially approved by the National Assembly yet. It can also happen if a prime minister has resigned but is still working until a new one is appointed.
The prime minister also has two deputy prime ministers who help them. One of these deputies can take over if the prime minister is temporarily unable to work.
How a Prime Minister Can Be Removed
The rules for removing a prime minister are in South Korea's Constitution. If the prime minister (or other government members) breaks the Constitution or other laws while doing their job, the National Assembly can start a process called impeachment.
To begin impeachment, at least one-third of the National Assembly members must suggest it. Then, more than half of the members must vote to approve it. If the vote passes, the prime minister is immediately stopped from doing their job.
The Constitutional Court of South Korea then reviews the case. They must make a final decision within 180 days. If the court decides the prime minister did violate the rules, they are removed from office. However, being impeached does not stop them from facing other legal consequences if they broke the law.
In Han Duck-soo's case, the Constitutional Court decided to dismiss the impeachment case. This meant he was able to return to his roles as prime minister and acting president.
The Prime Minister's Office
The Prime Minister's Office has two main parts: the Office for Government Policy Coordination and the Prime Minister's Secretariat.
The Office for Government Policy Coordination helps the prime minister with many tasks. This includes:
- Guiding and checking on government departments.
- Planning important national policies.
- Looking at and solving big problems or conflicts in society.
- Making sure government rules are fair and up-to-date.
The Prime Minister's Secretariat helps the prime minister with:
- Working with the National Assembly.
- Giving advice to the prime minister on important country matters.
- Handling complaints from citizens.
- Supporting the prime minister's public activities.
- Managing the prime minister's official home.
Salary and Home
The prime minister earns a salary set by the National Assembly. After they leave office, all former prime ministers receive a pension for life.
The official home of the prime minister is called Chongni Gonggwan. The South Korean government owns and runs it. It has been the prime minister's residence since the early 1990s.
After Being Prime Minister
All former prime ministers get a lifelong pension. They also get security protection from the Presidential Security Service, though they can choose not to accept it. When a prime minister passes away, they usually have a state funeral. This allows people and government officials to show their respect.
Lists of Prime Ministers
See also
In Spanish: Primer ministro de Corea del Sur para niños
- Politics of South Korea
- Premier of North Korea
- Prime Minister of the Korean Empire
