PM candidate lunches with young staffers and interns at PM's office; pledges to 'improve young people's lives'

Prime minister candidate Han Sung-sook arrives at her confirmation hearing preparation office at the Financial Supervisory Service Training Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Friday. [Yonhap]
Prime minister candidate Han Sung-sook arrives at her confirmation hearing preparation office at the Financial Supervisory Service Training Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Friday. [Yonhap]

Prime minister candidate Han Sung-sook held a lunch Friday with young staff members and interns at the Prime Minister's Office at a restaurant near Tongui-dong in Jongno-gu, Seoul, the office said.

At the gathering, Han said directly hearing and incorporating the voices of young people in the policymaking process was of the utmost importance. She asked those present to speak freely about shortcomings in the government's youth policies and areas where more effort was needed to improve young people's lives.

She added that making the government's integrated online youth policy platform — which allows users to search more than 1,000 active youth policy projects — easier to use and more useful would help young people better feel the impact of those policies.

Han also pledged that if confirmed as prime minister, she would communicate directly and frequently with young people to improve their lives.

The young attendees shared their difficulties, including rising housing costs and the struggle to find employment. Han repeatedly reaffirmed her commitment to listening to their concerns and working harder to improve their lives, the Prime Minister's Office said.

The lunch was organized so Han could hear firsthand about the concerns of the younger generation and use those insights as a reference in shaping future youth policy.

Han later wrote on her X (formerly Twitter) account that the conversation Friday had also brought to mind the many young people she had met in the field while serving as minister of SMEs and Startups to promote entrepreneurship for all.

She wrote that she had long seen new growth potential in the passion of young entrepreneurs challenging the world with fresh ideas and young people forging their own paths — and that the young public servants she met Friday were no different.

"I believe youth policy carries greater effectiveness when it is built together with young people themselves," Han said. "The stories of young people will become a precious starting point for building a better tomorrow for South Korea."

Friday's event was in effect Han's first public appearance as prime minister candidate since her nomination June 7. She is maintaining her duties as minister of SMEs and Startups while preparing for her confirmation hearing.


oskymoon@heraldcorp.com