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Candidate of Minister of SMEs and Startups
Han Seong-sook
Naver Veteran Tapped to Lead Digital Shift for Small Business Owners
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Last Updated on Jul 15, 2025
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Candidate of Minister of SMEs and Startups
Life Summary
Han Seong-sook (한성숙 in Korean) has been nominated as the first Minister of SMEs and Startups in the Lee Jae-myung administration.
She was born on June 20, 1967, in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province.
Han graduated from Uijeongbu Girls' High School and earned her degree in English Language and Literature from Sookmyung Women’s University.
She began her career as a reporter at the computer magazine Mincom, later serving as the head of public relations at Nanum Technology. In 1997, she joined the founding team of Empas.
After moving to NHN, she played a leading role in transforming Naver into South Korea’s No. 1 internet company, serving as Head of Service Division 1 and Executive Director overseeing overall services.
In 2017, she was appointed CEO of Naver and served in the role for five years. During her tenure, she was credited with leading what many call the company’s “golden era.”
While leading Naver, Han paid special attention to initiatives supporting small business owners and SMEs, earning a reputation for her strong understanding of the startup and small business landscape.
She is scheduled to face a confirmation hearing before the National Assembly’s Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee on July 15, 2025.
After being nominated, she identified “digital transformation for small business owners and SMEs” as her top policy priority.
If confirmed, Han will become the wealthiest minister in the civilian government era.
#HanSeongSook #LeeJaeMyung #MinistryofSMEsandStartups #KoreaPolitics #DigitalTransformation #Naver #SMEPolicy #SmallBusinessSupport #Empas #WomenLeadership
She was born on June 20, 1967, in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province.
Han graduated from Uijeongbu Girls' High School and earned her degree in English Language and Literature from Sookmyung Women’s University.
She began her career as a reporter at the computer magazine Mincom, later serving as the head of public relations at Nanum Technology. In 1997, she joined the founding team of Empas.
After moving to NHN, she played a leading role in transforming Naver into South Korea’s No. 1 internet company, serving as Head of Service Division 1 and Executive Director overseeing overall services.
In 2017, she was appointed CEO of Naver and served in the role for five years. During her tenure, she was credited with leading what many call the company’s “golden era.”
While leading Naver, Han paid special attention to initiatives supporting small business owners and SMEs, earning a reputation for her strong understanding of the startup and small business landscape.
She is scheduled to face a confirmation hearing before the National Assembly’s Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee on July 15, 2025.
After being nominated, she identified “digital transformation for small business owners and SMEs” as her top policy priority.
If confirmed, Han will become the wealthiest minister in the civilian government era.
#HanSeongSook #LeeJaeMyung #MinistryofSMEsandStartups #KoreaPolitics #DigitalTransformation #Naver #SMEPolicy #SmallBusinessSupport #Empas #WomenLeadership