Han Myeong-sook

Han expressed her friendship towards Lebanon and Israel and her support for UN Security Council Resolution 1701, UNIFIL, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan's efforts at securing peace, and Foreign Minister Ban's candidacy to be the next Secretary General.

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Han Myeong-sook (born March 24, 1944; 한명숙 ) is a South Korean politician who served as the Prime Minister of South Korea from April 2006 to March 2007.

She is South Korea's first female prime minister (second female prime minister overall if the acting premiership of Chang Sang is included).

She was from the United New Democratic Party (UNDP) as a member of the Korean National Assembly (representative) for Ilsan-gab, and is a graduate of Ewha Womans University in Seoul with a degree in French literature.

She was imprisoned from 1979 to 1981 after she confessed to teaching pro-Communist ideas to workers, farmers and low-income women, but it is now accepted she was imprisoned for pro-Democratic activities.

In 1999, she joined the National Congress for New Politics, and entered politics.

In 2000, she was elected as a member of the 16th Korean National Assembly (for Proportional representation).

A government committee exonerated her of any wrongdoing in 2001, ruling her confession was elicited through torture.

Han was the first Minister of Gender Equality, serving from 2001 to 2003.

UAE companies invested $8 billion in South Korea from 2002–2006, but South Korea total investment in the UAE is only $25 million.

She served as the Minister of Environment from 2003 to 2004.

In 2004, she ran for a member of the National Assembly in Ilsan of Goyang and was elected.

On 24 March 2006, following the resignation of Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, President Roh Moo-hyun nominated Han to become the first female Prime Minister of South Korea.

Han is only the second woman to be nominated for the Prime Ministership.

On 20 April 2006, Han Myeong-Sook was sworn in, becoming the first female Prime Minister of South Korea.

Han visited Libya on 19 September 2006 and 20 September 2006.

Han went to the United Arab Emirates on 24 September and held high level talks with Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Han said she wanted to cultivate "the potential for bilateral cooperation in... trade, investment, IT and tourism."

According to Han, "around 50 South Korean companies of global competitiveness have established headquarters of the Middle East region in Dubai."

Han was interviewed by Gulf News in September 2006.

She expressed a desire to increase South Korean investment in the UAE and sign a Free Trade Agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council.

When asked about gender equality in the UAE, she expressed interest in Muslim women, and commended the fact that the "status of women in Islam is a historic and religious outcome that is regulated by the Quran and Hadith."

She pointed to the efforts of Shaikha Fatima, the mother of the UAE, the appointment of Shaikha Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi, the first appointment of a female minister, as the Minister of Economy, and the February 2006 appointment of Mariam Al Roumi as the Minister of Social Affairs as positive signs of the UAE's adapting to social changes.

She rejected the idea of "imposing a U.S. or Western-style democracy on the Arab world" saying, "the values of democracy are not to be imposed."

Han met with Daniyal Akhmetov, the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, on 23 September 2006 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

They signed several bilateral agreements enhancing economic ties.

The Government of South Korea agreed to invest an additional $2 billion in joint projects in the energy, uranium-extraction, construction, transportation, and banking sectors.

Akhmetov offered South Korea the option of participating in developing a new type of nuclear reactor.

South Korean investors have stakes in more than 300 Kazakhstan-based companies.

Han was in Kazakhstan until 24 September.

She then traveled to Uzbekistan.

She resigned as Prime Minister on March 7, 2007, and declared her presidential candidacy.

But she did not succeed in the nominations.

In 2008 she ran for parliament, but was not elected.

However, in January 2012 she was elected leader of the main oppositional Democratic United Party (DUP) before the April legislative elections and became a member of parliament.

But the liberals did not manage to defeat the ruling Saenuri Party and Han stepped down as party leader in April 2012.

In August 2015, Han was convicted of receiving illegal donations and sentenced to two years in prison.

Han has maintained her innocence.

In 2021, she was granted special amnesty by the government and her constitutional rights were restored.