List of prime ministers of South Korea

To avoid confusion, all the names on this list follow the Eastern order convention (family name first, given name second) for consistency.

Standard and emblem of the prime minister of the Republic of Korea

This article lists the prime ministers of South Korea, from the First Republic founded in 1948 to the present-day Sixth Republic.

List of prime ministers

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Party		President (Tenure)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Lee Beom-seok 이범석 李範奭 (1900–1972)	31 July 1948	20 April 1950	1 year, 263 days		National Youth (until 1949)	Syngman Rhee (1948–1960)
							Independent (until 1949)
—		Shin Song-mo 신성모 申性模 (1891–1960) Acting	21 April 1950	22 November 1950	215 days		Independent
2		Chang Myon 장면 張勉 (1899–1966)	23 November 1950	23 April 1952	1 year, 152 days		Liberal
—		Ho Chong 허정 許政 (1896–1988) Acting	6 November 1951	9 April 1952	155 days		Independent
—		Yi Yun-yong 이윤영 李允榮 (1890–1975) Acting	24 April 1952	5 May 1952	11 days		Independent
3		Chang Taek-sang 장택상 張澤相 (1893–1969)	6 May 1952	5 October 1952	152 days		Independent
4		Paik Too-chin 백두진 白斗鎭 (1908–1993)	9 October 1952	17 June 1954	1 year, 251 days		Independent
5		Pyon Yong-tae 변영태 卞榮泰 (1892–1969)	27 June 1954	28 November 1954	154 days		Independent
—		Baek Han-seong 백한성 白汉成 (1899–1971) Acting	18 November 1954	28 November 1954	10 days		Independent
Position abolished (28 November 1954 – 25 April 1960)
—		Ho Chong [a] 허정 許政 (1896–1988)	25 April 1960	15 June 1960	51 days		Independent
								Ho Chong [b] (1960)
6			15 June 1960	18 August 1960	64 days			Kwak Sang-hoon [c] (1960)
								Ho Chong [b] (1960)
								Baek Nak-jun [c] (1960)
								Yun Po-sun (1960–1962)
(2)		Chang Myon [d] 장면 張勉 (1899–1966)	19 August 1960	16 May 1961	270 days		Democratic
—			16 May 1961	18 May 1961	2 days
—		Chang Do-yong 장도영 張都暎 (1923–2012) Chief Cabinet Minister of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction	20 May 1961	3 July 1961	44 days		Military
—		Song Yo-chan 송요찬 宋堯讚 (1918–1980) Chief Cabinet Minister of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction	3 July 1961	16 June 1962	348 days		Military
								Park Chung Hee (1962–1979)
—		Park Chung Hee 박정희 朴正熙 (1917–1979) Chief Cabinet Minister of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction	18 June 1962	10 July 1962	22 days		Military
—		Kim Hyun-chul 김현철 金顯哲 (1901–1989) Chief Cabinet Minister of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction	10 July 1962	17 December 1963	1 year, 160 days		Independent
7		Choi Tu-son 최두선 崔斗善 (1894–1974)	17 December 1963	9 May 1964	144 days		Independent
8		Chung Il-kwon 정일권 丁一權 (1917–1994)	10 May 1964	20 December 1970	6 years, 224 days		Independent
(4)		Paik Too-chin 백두진 白斗鎭 (1908–1993)	21 December 1970	3 June 1971	164 days		Democratic Republican
9		Kim Jong-pil 김종필 金鍾泌 (1926–2018)	4 June 1971	18 December 1975	4 years, 197 days		Democratic Republican
10		Choi Kyu-hah 최규하 崔圭夏 (1919–2006)	19 December 1975	5 December 1979	3 years, 351 days		Independent
								Choi Kyu-hah [e] (1979–1980)
—		Shin Hyun-hwak 신현확 申鉉碻 (1920–2007) Acting	15 November 1979	22 November 1979	7 days		Democratic Republican
—		Han-bin Lee 이한빈 李漢彬 (1926–2004) Acting	5 December 1979	20 December 1979	15 days		Independent
11		Shin Hyun-hwak 신현확 申鉉碻 (1920–2007)	20 December 1979	22 May 1980	154 days		Democratic Republican
—		Park Choong-hoon 박충훈 朴忠勳 (1919–2001) Acting	22 May 1980	1 September 1980	102 days		Democratic Republican
								Park Choong-hoon [f] (1980)
12		Nam Duck-woo 남덕우 南德祐 (1924–2013)	2 September 1980	3 January 1982	1 year, 123 days		Independent	Chun Doo-hwan (1980–1988)
13		Yoo Chang-soon 유창순 劉彰順 (1918–2010)	4 January 1982	24 June 1982	171 days		Independent
14		Kim Sang-hyup 김상협 金相浹 (1920–1995)	25 June 1982	14 October 1983	1 year, 111 days		Independent
15		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
16		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
17		Kim Chung-yul 김정렬 金貞烈 (1917–1992)	14 July 1987	24 February 1988	225 days		Independent
18		Lee Hyun-jae 이현재 李賢宰 (born 1929)	25 February 1988	4 December 1988	283 days		Independent	Roh Tae-woo (1988–1993)
19		Kang Young-hoon 강영훈 姜英勛 (1922–2016)	5 December 1988	26 December 1990	2 years, 21 days		Democratic Justice (until 1990)
							Democratic Liberal (from 1990)
20		Ro Jai-bong 노재봉 盧在鳳 (1936–2024)	27 December 1990	23 May 1991	147 days		Democratic Liberal
21		Chung Won-shik 정원식 鄭元植 (1928–2020)	24 May 1991	7 October 1992	1 year, 136 days		Independent
22		Hyun Soong-jong 현승종 玄勝鍾 (1919–2020)	8 October 1992	24 February 1993	139 days		Independent
23		Hwang In-sung 황인성 黃寅性 (1926–2010)	25 February 1993	16 December 1993	294 days		Democratic Liberal	Kim Young-sam (1993–1998)
24		Lee Hoi-chang 이회창 李會昌 (born 1935)	17 December 1993	21 April 1994	125 days		Independent
25		Lee Yung-dug 이영덕 李榮徳 (1926–2010)	22 April 1994	16 December 1994	238 days		Independent
26		Lee Hong-koo 이홍구 李洪九 (born 1934)	17 December 1994	17 December 1995	1 year		Independent
27		Lee Soo-sung 이수성 李壽成 (born 1939)	18 December 1995	4 March 1997	1 year, 76 days		New Korea
28		Goh Kun 고건 高建 (born 1938)	5 March 1997	2 March 1998	362 days		New Korea (until 1997)
							Grand National (from 1997)
(9)		Kim Jong-pil 김종필 金鍾泌 (1926–2018)	3 March 1998	12 January 2000	1 year, 315 days		United Liberal Democrats	Kim Dae-jung (1998–2003)
29		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
30		Lee Han-dong 이한동 李漢東 (1934–2021)	23 May 2000	10 July 2002	2 years, 48 days		United Liberal Democrats
—		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
—		Chang Dae-whan 장대환 張大煥 (born 1952) Acting	9 August 2002	10 September 2002	32 days		Independent
31		Kim Suk-soo 김석수 金碩洙 (born 1932)	10 September 2002	26 February 2003	169 days		Independent
(28)		Goh Kun 고건 高建 (born 1938)	27 February 2003	24 July 2004	1 year, 148 days		Independent	Roh Moo-hyun [g] (2003–2008)
—		Lee Hun-jai 이헌재 李憲宰 (born 1944) Acting	25 July 2004	30 July 2004	5 days		Independent
32		Lee Hae-chan 이해찬 李海瓚 (born 1952)	30 July 2004	15 March 2006	1 year, 228 days		Uri
—		Han Duck-soo 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949) Acting	16 March 2006	19 April 2006	34 days		Independent
33		Han Myeong-sook 한명숙 韓明淑 (born 1944)	20 April 2006	6 March 2007	320 days		Uri
—		Kwon O-kyu 권오규 權五奎 (born 1952) Acting	7 March 2007	2 April 2007	26 days		Independent
34		Han Duck-soo 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949)	2 April 2007	29 February 2008	333 days		Independent
35		Han Seung-soo 한승수 韓昇洙 (born 1936)	29 February 2008	28 September 2009	1 year, 212 days		Grand National	Lee Myung-bak (2008–2013)
36		Chung Un-chan 정운찬 鄭雲燦 (born 1947)	29 September 2008	11 August 2010	316 days		Independent
—		Yoon Jeung-hyun 윤증현 尹增鉉 (born 1946) Acting	11 August 2010	1 October 2010	51 days		Grand National
37		Kim Hwang-sik 김황식 金滉植 (born 1948)	1 October 2010	26 February 2013	2 years, 148 days		Independent
38		Chung Hong-won 정홍원 鄭烘原 (born 1944)	26 February 2013	16 February 2015	1 year, 355 days		Independent	Park Geun-hye (2013–2017)
39		Lee Wan-koo 이완구 李完九 (1950–2021)	17 February 2015	27 April 2015	69 days		Saenuri
—		Choi Kyoung-hwan 최경환 崔炅煥 (born 1955) Acting	27 April 2015	18 June 2015	52 days		Saenuri
40		Hwang Kyo-ahn 황교안 黃敎安 (born 1957)	18 June 2015	11 May 2017	1 year, 327 days		Independent
								Hwang Kyo-ahn [h] (2016–2017)
								Moon Jae-in (2017–2022)
—		Yoo Il-ho 유일호 柳一鎬 (born 1955) Acting	11 May 2017	31 May 2017	20 days		Liberty Korea
41		Lee Nak-yon 이낙연 李洛淵 (born 1951)	31 May 2017	14 January 2020	2 years, 228 days		Democratic
42		Chung Sye-kyun 정세균 丁世均 (born 1950)	14 January 2020	16 April 2021	1 year, 92 days		Democratic
—		Hong Nam-ki 홍남기 洪楠基 (born 1960) Acting	16 April 2021	13 May 2021	27 days		Independent
43		Kim Boo-kyum 김부겸 金富謙 (born 1958)	14 May 2021	11 May 2022	362 days		Democratic
								Yoon Suk Yeol [i] (2022–2025)
—		Choo Kyung-ho 추경호 秋慶鎬 (born 1960) Acting	12 May 2022	20 May 2022	8 days		People Power
(34)		Han Duck-soo 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949)	21 May 2022	27 December 2024 [j]	2 years, 220 days		Independent
—		Choi Sang-mok [k] 최상목 崔相穆 (born 1963) Acting	27 December 2024	24 March 2025	87 days		Independent
(34)		Han Duck-soo [l] 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949)	24 March 2025	1 May 2025	38 days		Independent
								Han Duck-soo [m] (2024–2025)
—		Lee Ju-ho [n] 이주호 李周浩 (born 1961) Acting	2 May 2025	3 July 2025	62 days		Independent	Lee Ju-ho [o] (2025)
44		Kim Min-seok 한덕수 韓悳洙 (born 1949)	3 July 2025	Incumbent	87 days		Democratic	Lee Jae Myung (since 2025)

Timeline

See also

• Deputy Prime Minister of South Korea
• List of presidents of South Korea
• List of prime ministers of Korea

Notes

1. Ho Chong served as Acting Prime Minister from 25 April until 15 June 1960.
2. Ho Chong served as Acting President from 27 April until 15 June 1960, and from 23 June until 8 August 1960.
3. Acting President.
4. Chang Myon served as Chief Cabinet Minister of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction from 16 until 18 May 1961.
5. Choi Kyu-hah served as Acting President from 26 October until 6 December 1979.
6. Park Choong-hoon served as Acting President from 16 August until 1 September 1980.
7. Roh Moo-hyun was impeached by the National Assembly on 12 March 2004. Roh was suspended until the Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment on 14 May 2004. ^[1] During Roh's suspension, Goh Kun served as Acting President.
8. Park Geun-hye was impeached by the National Assembly on 9 December 2016, and later removed from office by the Constitutional Court on 10 March 2017. ^{[2] [3]} Hwang Kyo-ahn served as Acting President during Park's suspension. After Park was removed from office, Hwang continued as Acting President.
9. Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached by the National Assembly on 14 December 2024, and later removed from office by the Constitutional Court on 4 April 2025. ^[4] During Yoon's suspension, the following served as Acting President:
   • Han Duck-soo served from 14 December 2024, until he was impeached by the National Assembly on 27 December 2024. Han was later reinstated by the Constitutional Court on 24 March 2025.
   • Choi Sang-mok served as Acting President after Han Duck-soo's impeachment.
10. Han Duck-soo was suspended on 27 December 2024, after the National Assembly impeached him. ^[5]
11. Choi Sang-mok served as Acting Prime Minister during Han Duck-soo's suspension.
12. Han Duck-soo was reinstated on 24 March 2025, after the Constitutional Court overturned his impeachment. ^[6] Han later resigned on 1 May 2025, to run in the 2025 presidential election.
13. Han Duck-soo twice served as Acting President during Yoon Suk Yeol's suspension: from 14 until 27 December 2004, and from 24 March 2025 until 4 April 2025. Following Yoon's removal from office, Han continued as Acting President.
14. After Han Duck-soo resigned, Choi Sang-mok was expected to serve as Acting Prime Minister. However, Choi resigned on 1 May 2025, to avoid an impeachment vote by the National Assembly. ^[7]
15. Lee Ju-ho served as Acting President after Han Duck-soo resigned on 1 May 2025. Choi Sang-mok was initially expected to serve as Acting President, but he resigned on the same day to avoid being impeached by the National Assembly.

References

1. Faiola, Anthony (13 May 2004). "Court Rejects S. Korean President's Impeachment". The Washington Post . Retrieved 5 December 2024.
2. Choe Sang-hun (9 March 2017). "South Korea Removes President Park Geun-hye". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
3. "Timeline: South Korea's impeached President Park Geun-hye". Reuters. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 5 December 2024.
4. Jessie Yeung, Gawon Bae and Yoonjung Seo (14 December 2024). "South Korea's parliament votes to impeach president over martial law debacle". CNN. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
5. "South Korea votes to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo". BBC. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
6. "South Korea court reinstates PM as acting leader". BBC. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
7. 민경락. "[2보] 최상목 경제부총리, 탄핵안 상정 직후 사의 표명". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 1 May 2025.

External links

• Former Prime Ministers