Lee Nak-yeon "Successor Prime Minister Will Be Appointed Before the 16th"...Dismisses Possibility of Prime Minister Vacancy

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon is attending the '2020 Lunar New Year Livelihood Stabilization High-level Party-Government-Cheongwadae Council' held at the National Assembly on the 6th, delivering a keynote speech. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon said there is "no chance" that a new prime minister will not be appointed before the resignation deadline of public officials running in the general election, which is 16 days away.

On the 6th, after the high-level party-government meeting held at the National Assembly, Prime Minister Lee told reporters, "I believe the prime minister will be appointed before the 16th."

When asked about when he would step down from the prime minister position, he refrained from commenting, saying, "I have nothing to say." He also said, "I have no comments" regarding whether he would run in Jongno.

There is a prevailing expectation that Prime Minister Lee will resign before the 16th regardless of the National Assembly's approval of his successor, nominee Chung Sye-kyun. However, concerns about a vacancy in the prime minister position have arisen as the approval process in the National Assembly is expected to be delayed due to the confrontation between ruling and opposition parties over the fast-track bills.

Meanwhile, at what is effectively his last high-level party-government meeting, Prime Minister Lee announced, "We will implement job projects for vulnerable groups early in the year and also provide livelihood benefit support before the Lunar New Year."

He said, "We will increase the supply of agricultural and marine products needed for the Lunar New Year to ease the burden of the ancestral rites table," and added, "We have also prepared traffic safety measures to ensure people can travel to their hometowns comfortably and safely."

Prime Minister Lee also urged the National Assembly, saying, "Please quickly pass the livelihood bills such as the National Pension Act, Disabled Pension Act, Local Tax Special Cases Act, Data 3 Act, Basic Youth Act, Labor Standards Act, and DNA Act, considering the sentiments of the people and businesses."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.