Prime Minister of South Korea

Prime Minister of South Korea
Hangul	국무총리
Hanja	國務總理
Revised Romanization	Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.
McCune–Reischauer	Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.

Prime Minister of the
Republic of Korea
대한민국 국무총리
Prime Minister of the; Republic of Korea ; 대한민국 국무총리
	File:Emblem of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea.svg Emblem of the Prime Minister
	File:Flag of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea.svg Standard of the Prime Minister
	Incumbent; Han Duck-soo; since 21 May 2022; (Powers and duties suspended since 27 December 2024); Acting Prime Minister; Choi Sang-mok; since 27 December 2024
	Executive branch of the Government of South Korea; Prime Minister’s Office
Style	Mr Prime Minister; (informal); The Honourable; (formal); His Excellency; (diplomatic);
Status	Deputy head of government;
Member of	State Council; National Security Council;
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; 77 years ago
Unofficial names	Prime Minister of South Korea
Deputy	Deputy Prime Minister
Salary	₩191,000,000 annually
Website	Official website (in English); Official website (in Korean)

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea (국무총리 / 國務總理, Gungmuchongni) is appointed by the President of South Korea, with the National Assembly's approval. The officeholder is not required to be a member of the National Assembly. The Prime Minister is not the head of government but is similar to that of a vice president.

The Sino-Korean word gungmu (국무/國務) means "state affairs" and chongni (총리/總理) means "prime minister", "premier" or "chancellor", so the full title in Korean means literally "Prime Minister for State Affairs", but it is not used as official English title. The short title in Korean is just Chongni.

List of prime ministers[change]

Political parties
Conservative Liberal Military Independent
Status
Denotes acting prime minister

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party	President
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party	President
Prime ministers of the First Republic
1	File:이범석.JPG	Lee Beom-seok 이범석 李範奭 (1900–1972)	31 July 1948	20 April 1950	1 year, 263 days	Independent	File:Rhee Syng-Man in 1948.jpg Rhee Syng-man
—	File:Shin sung.jpg	Shin Song-mo 신성모 申性模 (1891–1960) Acting	21 April 1950	22 November 1950	215 days	Independent
2	File:Chang Myon 1955.jpg	Chang Myon 장면 張勉 (1899–1966)	23 November 1950	23 April 1952	1 year, 152 days	Liberal
—		Yi Yun-yong 이윤영 李允榮 (1890–1975) Acting	24 April 1952	5 May 1952	11 days	Independent
3	File:Jang Taek.jpg	Chang Taek-sang 장택상 張澤相 (1893–1969)	6 May 1952	5 October 1952	152 days	Independent
4	File:Baek Du-jin.jpg	Paik Too-chin 백두진 白斗鎭 (1908–1993)	9 October 1952	17 June 1954	1 year, 251 days	Independent
5	File:Byeon Yeong-tae.jpg	Pyon Yong-tae 변영태 卞榮泰 (1892–1969)	27 June 1954	28 November 1954	154 days	Independent
Post abolished (28 November 1954 – 14 June 1960)
Prime ministers of the Second Republic
6	File:Heo Jeong.png	Ho Chong 허정 許政 (1896–1988)	15 June 1960	18 August 1960	64 days	Independent	File:윤보선 대통령 존영2.jpg Yun Posun
7 (2)	File:Chang Myon 1955.jpg	Chang Myon 장면 張勉 (1899–1966)	19 August 1960	17 May 1961	271 days	Democratic	File:윤보선 대통령 존영2.jpg Yun Posun
Chief Cabinet Ministers of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction
—	File:Chang Do-young.jpg	Chief of Staff of the Army Jang Do-young 장도영 張都暎 (1923–2012)	20 May 1961	2 July 1961	43 days	Military	File:윤보선 대통령 존영2.jpg Yun Posun
—	File:General Song Yo-chan 1959.jpg	Chief of Staff of the Army Song Yo-chan 송요찬 宋堯讚 (1918–1980)	3 July 1961	15 June 1962	347 days	Military	File:윤보선 대통령 존영2.jpg Yun Posun
—	File:Park Chung-hee.jpg	General Park Chung Hee 박정희 朴正熙 (1917–1979)	18 June 1962	9 July 1962	21 days	Military	File:Park Chung-hee.jpg Park Chung Hee (acting)
—	File:Kim Hyun-chul 金顕哲 김현철 1961.jpg	Kim Hyun-chul 김현철 金顯哲 (1901–1989)	10 July 1962	16 December 1963	1 year, 159 days	Independent	File:Park Chung-hee.jpg Park Chung Hee (acting)
Prime ministers of the Third Republic
8	File:최두선.jpg	Choi Tu-son 최두선 崔斗善 (1894–1974)	17 December 1963	9 May 1964	144 days	Independent	File:Park Chung-hee.jpg Park Chung Hee
9	File:General Chung Il-kwon 02.jpg	Chung Il-kwon 정일권 丁一權 (1917–1994)	10 May 1964	20 December 1970	6 years, 224 days	Independent
10 (4)	File:Baek Du-jin.jpg	Paik Too-chin 백두진 白斗鎭 (1908–1993)	21 December 1970	3 June 1971	164 days	Democratic Republican
11	File:Kim Jong-pil 1999.png	Kim Jong-pil 김종필 金鍾泌 (1926–2018)	4 June 1971	20 November 1972	1 year, 169 days	Democratic Republican
Prime ministers of the Fourth Republic
11 (cont'd.)	File:Kim Jong-pil 1999.png	Kim Jong-pil 김종필 金鍾泌 (1926–2018)	21 November 1972	18 December 1975	3 years, 27 days	Democratic Republican	File:Park Chung-hee.jpg Park Chung-hee
12	File:Presidents of the Republic Of Korea (4261836786) Choi.jpg	Choi Kyu-hah 최규하 崔圭夏 (1919–2006)	19 December 1975	5 December 1979	3 years, 351 days	Independent	File:Park Chung-hee.jpg Park Chung-hee
13	File:復興部企劃局企劃科長李起鴻.jpg	Shin Hyun-hwak 신현확 申鉉碻 (1920–2007)	13 December 1979	21 May 1980	160 days	Democratic Republican	File:Presidents of the Republic Of Korea (4261836786) Choi.jpg Choi Kyu-hah
—		Park Choong-hoon 박충훈 朴忠勳 (1919–2001) Acting	22 May 1980	1 September 1980	102 days	Democratic Republican
14	File:남덕우 총리.jpg	Nam Duck-woo 남덕우 南德祐 (1924–2013)	2 September 1980	2 March 1981	181 days	Independent	File:Chun Doo-hwan, 1985-Mar-22 (cropped).jpg Chun Doo-hwan
Prime ministers of the Fifth Republic
14 (cont'd.)	File:남덕우 총리.jpg	Nam Duck-woo 남덕우 南德祐 (1924–2013)	3 March 1981	3 January 1982	306 days	Independent	File:Chun Doo-hwan, 1985-Mar-22 (cropped).jpg Chun Doo-hwan
15		Yoo Chang-soon 유창순 劉彰順 (1918–2010)	4 January 1982	24 June 1982	171 days	Independent
16		Kim Sang-hyup 김상협 金相浹 (1920–1995)	25 June 1982	14 October 1983	1 year, 111 days	Independent
17		Chin Iee-chong 진의종 陳懿鍾 (1921–1995)	15 October 1983	18 February 1985	1 year, 126 days	Democratic Justice
—		Shin Byung-hyun [ko] 신병현 申秉鉉 (1921–1999) Acting	11 November 1984	18 February 1985	99 days	Democratic Justice
18	File:Lho Shin-yong.jpg	Lho Shin-yong 노신영 盧信永 (1930–2019)	19 February 1985	25 May 1987	2 years, 95 days	Democratic Justice
—		Lee Han-key [ko] 이한기 李漢基 (1917–1995) Acting	26 May 1987	13 July 1987	48 days	Independent
19	File:Sadao Kagawa, Ki-61.jpg	Kim Chung-yul 김정렬 金貞烈 (1917–1992)	14 July 1987	24 February 1988	225 days	Independent
Prime ministers of the Sixth Republic
20	File:이현재 총리.jpg	Lee Hyun-jae 이현재 李賢宰 (born 1929)	25 February 1988	4 December 1988	283 days	Independent	File:Roh Tae-woo - cropped, 1989-Mar-13.jpg Roh Tae-woo
21		Kang Young-hoon 강영훈 姜英勛 (1922–2016)	5 December 1988	26 December 1990	2 years, 21 days	Democratic Justice → Democratic Liberal
22		Ro Jai-bong 노재봉 盧在鳳 (1936–2024)	27 December 1990	23 May 1991	147 days	Democratic Liberal
23		Chung Won-shik 정원식 鄭元植 (1928–2020)	24 May 1991	7 October 1992	1 year, 136 days	Independent
24	File:현승종.jpg	Hyun Soong-jong 현승종 玄勝鍾 (1919–2020)	8 October 1992	24 February 1993	139 days	Independent
25	Hwang-insung-archive-korea.jpg	Hwang In-sung 황인성 黃寅性 (1926–2010)	25 February 1993	16 December 1993	294 days	Democratic Liberal	File:Kim Young-sam presidential portrait.jpg Kim Young-sam
26	File:Lee Hoi-chang (2010).jpg	Lee Hoi-chang 이회창 李會昌 (born 1935)	17 December 1993	21 April 1994	125 days	Independent
27		Lee Yung-dug 이영덕 李榮徳 (1926–2010)	22 April 1994	16 December 1994	238 days	Independent
28	File:Lee Hong Koo.png	Lee Hong-koo 이홍구 李洪九 (born 1934)	17 December 1994	17 December 1995	1 year, 0 days	Independent
29	File:Lee Soo-sung 1 (cropped).jpg	Lee Soo-sung 이수성 李壽成 (born 1939)	18 December 1995	4 March 1997	1 year, 76 days	New Korea
30	File:대한민국 총리 고건 서울종합방재센터 방문90 (cropped).jpg	Goh Kun 고건 高建 (born 1938)	5 March 1997	2 March 1998	362 days	New Korea → Grand National
31 (11)	File:Kim Jong-pil 1999.png	Kim Jong-pil 김종필 金鍾泌 (1926–2018)	3 March 1998	12 January 2000	1 year, 315 days	United Liberal Democrats	File:Kim Dae-jung presidential portrait.jpg Kim Dae-jung
32		Park Tae-joon 박태준 朴泰俊 (1927–2011)	13 January 2000	18 May 2000	126 days	United Liberal Democrats
—		Lee Hun-jai 이헌재 李憲宰 (born 1944) Acting	19 May 2000	22 May 2000	3 days	Independent
33	Lee Han-Dong.jpg	Lee Han-dong 이한동 李漢東 (1934–2021)	23 May 2000	10 July 2002	2 years, 48 days	United Liberal Democrats
—	File:장상.jpg	Chang Sang 장상 張裳 (born 1939) Acting	11 July 2002	31 July 2002	20 days	Independent
—		Jeon Yun-churl [ko] 전윤철 田允喆 (born 1939) Acting	31 July 2002	9 August 2002	9 days	Independent
—	File:Dae-Whan CHANG7.jpg	Chang Dae-whan 장대환 張大煥 (born 1952) Acting	9 August 2002	10 September 2002	32 days	Independent
34	File:2000년대 초반 서울소방 소방공무원(소방관) 활동 사진 총리센타방문-1 (김석수).jpg	Kim Suk-soo 김석수 金碩洙 (born 1932)	10 September 2002	26 February 2003	169 days	Independent
35 (30)	File:대한민국 총리 고건 서울종합방재센터 방문90 (cropped).jpg	Goh Kun 고건 高建 (born 1938)	27 February 2003	24 July 2004	1 year, 148 days	Independent	File:Roh Moo-hyun presidential portrait.jpg Roh Moo-hyun
—		Lee Hun-jai 이헌재 李憲宰 (born 1944) Acting	25 July 2004	30 July 2004	5 days	Independent
36	File:191028더불어민주당예산정책협의회(3).jpg	Lee Hae-chan 이해찬 李海瓚 (born 1952)	30 July 2004	15 March 2006	1 year, 228 days	Uri
—	File:Han Duck-soo 2022.jpg	Han Duck-soo 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949) Acting	14 March 2006	20 April 2006	37 days	Independent
37	File:Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook taking a commemorative photo with the Speaker of the National Assembly.jpg	Han Myeong-sook 한명숙 韓明淑 (born 1944)	20 April 2006	6 March 2007	320 days	Uri
—		Kwon O-kyu [ko] 권오규 權五奎 (born 1952) Acting	7 March 2007	2 April 2007	26 days	Independent
38	File:Han Duck-soo 2022.jpg	Han Duck-soo 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949)	2 April 2007	29 February 2008	333 days	Independent
39	File:Han Seung-Soo - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2009.jpg	Han Seung-soo 한승수 韓昇洙 (born 1936)	29 February 2008	28 September 2009	1 year, 212 days	Grand National	File:Lee Myung-bak presidential portrait.jpg Lee Myung-bak
40	File:ChungUnChan(060515)Cropped.jpg	Chung Un-chan 정운찬 鄭雲燦 (born 1947)	29 September 2009	11 August 2010	316 days	Independent
—	File:Yoon Jeung-Hyun (cropped).jpg	Yoon Jeung-hyun 윤증현 尹增鉉 (born 1946) Acting	11 August 2010	1 October 2010	51 days	Grand National
41	File:Kim Hwang Sik-1-1.jpg	Kim Hwang-sik 김황식 金滉植 (born 1948)	1 October 2010	26 February 2013	2 years, 148 days	Independent
42	File:Chung Hong-won small.jpg	Chung Hong-won 정홍원 鄭烘原 (born 1944)	26 February 2013	16 February 2015	1 year, 355 days	Independent	File:Park Geun-hye presidential portrait.png Park Geun-hye
43	File:이완구 전 총리.png	Lee Wan-koo 이완구 李完九 (1950–2021)	17 February 2015	27 April 2015	69 days	Saenuri
—	File:Choi Kyoung-hwan 2014.jpg	Choi Kyoung-hwan 최경환 崔炅煥 (born 1955) Acting	27 April 2015	18 June 2015	52 days	Saenuri
44	File:Hwang Kyo-ahn December 2016.jpg	Hwang Kyo-ahn 황교안 黃敎安 (born 1957)	17 June 2015	11 May 2017	1 year, 328 days	Independent
44	File:Hwang Kyo-ahn December 2016.jpg	Hwang Kyo-ahn 황교안 黃敎安 (born 1957)	17 June 2015	11 May 2017	1 year, 328 days	Independent	File:Hwang Kyo-ahn December 2016.jpg Hwang Kyo-ahn (acting)
—	File:Deputy PM Yoo Ilho Press Conference 04.jpg	Yoo Il-ho 유일호 柳一鎬 (born 1955) Acting	11 May 2017	31 May 2017	20 days	Liberty Korea	File:Moon Jae-in, September 2019.jpg Moon Jae-in
45	File:South Korean Prime Minister Lee - 2017 (36235112603) (cropped).jpg	Lee Nak-yon 이낙연 李洛淵 (born 1951)	31 May 2017	14 January 2020	2 years, 228 days	Democratic
46	File:Donald Trump and Chung Sye-kyun (cropped2).jpg	Chung Sye-kyun 정세균 丁世均 (born 1950)	14 January 2020	16 April 2021	1 year, 92 days	Democratic
—	File:Hong Nam-ki, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance.jpg	Hong Nam-ki 홍남기 洪楠基 (born 1960) Acting	16 April 2021	13 May 2021	27 days	Independent
47	File:Kim Boo-kyum - 20170119 k (cropped).jpg	Kim Boo-kyum 김부겸 金富謙 (born 1958)	14 May 2021	11 May 2022	362 days	Democratic
—	File:추경호 부총리 예방 받아 001 (cropped).jpg	Choo Kyung-ho 추경호 秋慶鎬 (born 1960) Acting	12 May 2022	20 May 2022	8 days	People Power	File:South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol portrait.jpg Yoon Suk Yeol
48 (38)	File:Han Duck-soo 2022.jpg	Han Duck-soo 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949)	21 May 2022	Incumbent^[a]	3 years, 133 days	Independent
—	File:Choi Sang-mok 20240816.jpg	Choi Sang-mok 최상목 崔相穆 (born 1963) Acting	27 December 2024	Incumbent	278 days	Independent

Notes[change]

↑ Han was impeached by the National Assembly on 27 December 2024. His powers and duties are suspended until the decision by the Constitutional Court

References[change]

↑ "President's annual salary set at W225m". The Korea Herald. 16 January 2018.

Other websites[change]

Prime Minister's Office Archived 2018-05-01 at the Wayback Machine
South Korea at worldstatesmen.org

File:Society.svg This short article about politics can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.

[2] Han was impeached by the National Assembly on 27 December 2024. His powers and duties are suspended until the decision by the Constitutional Court

[auto5-1] "President's annual salary set at W225m". The Korea Herald. 16 January 2018.

[1]

[a]