Seoul: Kim Min-seok was officially appointed as South Korea's prime minister after the National Assembly voted to endorse the four-term ruling party lawmaker, chosen by President Lee Jae Myung as the first prime minister under the country's new administration.
According to Yonhap News Agency, earlier in the day, the Assembly passed the confirmation motion for Kim in a 173-3 vote with three invalid ballots during a plenary session. The motion was boycotted by the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in protest of allegations surrounding his wealth and family.
Speaking to reporters after his confirmation, Kim pledged to "uphold the will of the people" and emphasized that overcoming the economic challenges will be his top priority. President Lee officially appointed Kim as prime minister following the parliamentary vote, as stated by presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.
The PPP criticized Kim as an unqualified nominee, raising concerns about discrepancies in his reported wealth and spending, and allegations regarding his son's college admissions and his studies at China's Tsinghua University. Despite the opposition, the Democratic Party had indicated their intention to proceed with the confirmation unilaterally.
In South Korea, the prime minister is the only Cabinet post requiring parliamentary approval. During the session, the Assembly also passed a revision to the Commercial Act, expanding the fiduciary duty of corporate board members to all shareholders. The parties had previously clashed over limiting the voting rights of the largest shareholder during auditor selection but reached an agreement on amendments before the vote.
Among the 272 lawmakers present, 220 approved the revision, while 29 disapproved and 23 abstained. A similar bill had been passed in March but was vetoed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Additionally, a revision to the Martial Law Act, which prohibits military and police entry into the National Assembly when martial law is declared, was also approved in Thursday's session.