'A premier who starts at dawn': New Prime Minister Kim Min-seok vows to start days early

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok vowed to guide Korea toward a new era, emphasizing governance and balanced regional development during his inauguration.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok delivers his inaugural address at the government complex in Sejong on July 7. [YONHAP]

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok pledged to serve as a chief coordinator who helps usher in “a new era of a great Korea, great people and a great president by overcoming the scars of insurrection and a second IMF [International Monetary Fund] crisis,” during his inauguration on Monday.

Wearing a red tie, the symbolic color of the main opposing People Power Party, Kim delivered his inaugural remarks at the Sejong government complex. Kim took office as prime minister last Thursday.

He expressed gratitude to the public and to President Lee Jae Myung for entrusting him with the role.

“I thank the people who opened the way for a new era, and President Lee for giving me this responsibility,” Kim said. “Looking back, my youth was filled with righteous indignation. Life was full of hardships, but it was a blessing.”

He recalled how the prayers of an uncle — whom he described as “good-natured, blind and poor” — changed his outlook while he was imprisoned during his student days. He was imprisoned for his involvement in pro-democracy activism in the 1980s.

“It made me realize that change must come from people, not just institutions,” he said.

Kim also emphasized that he would carry out his duties with passion, regardless of political affiliation.

“Whether red or blue, I will approach this work with intensity,” he said. “I will be a national coordination chief who monitors and implements the direction of state affairs, and an ‘early-rising prime minister’ who safeguards the early mornings of the people.”

Quoting former President Kim Dae-jung, the prime minister said, “Life is beautiful, and history progresses,” and added, “The Korean people will once again take a bold step forward.”

Kim Min-seok has repeatedly stressed his identity as an “early-rising prime minister” since being appointed.

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok delivers his inaugural address at the government complex in Sejong on July 7. [YONHAP]

When he received his letter of appointment from Lee on Friday, he responded, “I will raise the sense of momentum in governance by becoming a premier who starts at dawn.”

Kim Min-seok, a longtime early riser, used to attend prayer meetings that began as early as 4 or 5 a.m.

This contrasts with Lee’s reputation for working through the night and starting late in the day.

A Democratic Party official said the two officials’ opposite biorhythms could create “a complementary synergy.”

Kim Min-seok began his first official day in office with a disaster response briefing on seasonal risks such as heat waves and monsoon rains at the disaster situation room in the Sejong complex.

He later traveled to the government complex in central Seoul to preside over a full session of the National Planning Committee, where he reviewed ministry-level progress on state policy priorities.

He plans to stay primarily in Sejong over the next week to focus on governance.

He will visit the planned site of the National Assembly and the presidential office in Sejong on Wednesday and meet with the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences as well as the National Research Council of Science & Technology.

Lee asked Kim to “pay close attention to Sejong” during their meeting on Friday.

Kim Min-seok’s activities underscore the administration’s focus on balanced regional development.

“Turning the Chungcheong region into the administrative capital or relocating the presidential office to Sejong are longstanding issues,” Lee said at a town hall in Daejeon on Friday. “I believe keeping these promises is the right thing to do from the standpoint of balanced development.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY YOON JI-WON [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]