Opposition lawmaker says PM nominee lacks weight to lead cabinet, urges Lee to reconsider

People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun said Sunday that President Lee Jae Myung's nomination of Minister of SMEs and Startups Han Sung-sook as prime minister would produce nothing more than a "decorative prime minister" incapable of reviving either people's livelihoods or cross-party cooperation.

Writing on his Facebook page Sunday, Yoon said the appointment had drawn criticism as a move designed to shift the political narrative at a time when public concern over the disputed ballot controversy was already mounting.

"At first glance, her background as an IT executive and AI specialist — and the symbolism of becoming only the second woman to serve as prime minister — may catch the eye," Yoon said. "But the prime minister's post is not one to be filled with symbolism." He said the role carries constitutional authority to recommend ministerial appointments, oversee the cabinet and coordinate national policy, and that what matters most is seasoned political judgment and the capacity to manage state affairs, deliver for ordinary citizens and forge cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties.

Yoon said he had no reason to disparage Han's career in the private sector, but added that corporate management experience and the capacity to run the government were separate matters. "Whether a single ministerial term is enough to build the experience and gravitas needed to coordinate complex national issues, persuade the National Assembly and command the cabinet — that I question," he said.

He said the nomination was raising fears that the president was installing a decorative prime minister who would faithfully carry out his policy agenda rather than one who would take genuine responsibility. Concern was also growing, he added, that the constitutional authority of the prime minister would be weakened and governance increasingly concentrated around President Lee alone.

"What South Korea needs right now is not a decorative prime minister who watches the president's every move, but a prime minister who looks to the people and takes responsibility for governing the country," Yoon said. He called on Lee to reconsider whether the nomination met the public's expectations rather than serving as a surprise appointment aimed at changing the political mood, and urged him to withdraw it even at this late stage.