Six Vice Ministers Appointed for Economy, Foreign Affairs, and Industry Ministries
Lee Hyungil and Lim Kigeun Named as First and Second Vice Ministers of Economy and Finance
Park Yoonju and Kim Jina Appointed as First and Second Vice Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Moon Sinhak Becomes First Vice Minister of Industry; Yeo Hankoo Named as Head of Trade Negotiations
President Lee Jaemyung appointed six new vice ministers on June 10. The ministries with new vice ministers are the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. This move is interpreted as preparation for the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) summit. The Presidential Office stated its intention to swiftly restore the "damaged administration" to its original state.
On the same day, Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, announced these vice minister appointments during a briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office. Kang explained, "The Lee Jaemyung administration has carried out these appointments to focus human resources on economic recovery and overcoming instability," adding, "This round of appointments emphasizes the swift resolution of the economic crisis by appointing experts in the fields of economy and industry."
Lee Hyungil, who was appointed as the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, is a macroeconomic expert with extensive experience in designing economic policy. He worked in the Financial Policy Bureau immediately after the 1997 foreign exchange crisis. Within the ministry, he has been selected three times by staff as the supervisor they most wish to emulate. Kang described him as "the right person to diagnose the realities of the complex crisis facing the Korean economy and find solutions."
Lim Kigeun, the new Second Vice Minister, is a budget expert who has held key positions across the Ministry of Economy and Finance. He possesses expertise in policy coordination and growth strategies, and, based on his experience with the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts, is expected to foster cooperation with the National Assembly, according to Kang.
Park Yoonju, Minister at the Korean Mission to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), was selected as the First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Park, who has served as Director of the North America Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will take on the role of addressing North American affairs based on his extensive experience in Washington. Kang emphasized, "He is considered the right person to uphold pragmatic, national-interest diplomacy in key issues such as tariff negotiations, which are the top priority for the second Trump administration in the United States."
Kim Jina, a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, was appointed as the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Kim previously served as a policy advisor to the ROK-US Combined Forces Command and, as a scholar, was the third Korean to serve as a disarmament advisor directly under the United Nations Secretary-General.
Moon Sinhak, spokesperson for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, was chosen as the new First Vice Minister of the ministry. Within the ministry, he has overseen policies related to energy, including oil, gas, and nuclear power. He also led the Energy Transition National Communication Task Force, which operates directly under the minister.
Yeo Hankoo, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in the United States, will serve as the new head of the Office of Trade Negotiations, which will lead tariff negotiations with the United States. Yeo oversaw trade policy as Director-General for Trade Policy during the first Trump administration.
Kang stated, "The Lee Jaemyung administration has quickly and newly formed a lineup of diplomatic experts to protect Korea's national interests at the upcoming G7 international diplomatic stage next week," adding, "We promise to swiftly restore the administration, which was damaged by the rebellion, and to build an effective government capable of overcoming global protectionism."
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