Minju, Defense Industry Expert Professor Choi Ki-il
Korea, Foreign Affairs and Security Expert Shin Beom-cheol
[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Hyemin and Won Dara] On the 21st, the Democratic Party of Korea and the Liberty Korea Party each recruited experts in the defense industry and foreign security as new talents.
On the same day, the Democratic Party recruited defense industry expert Choi Gi-il, an adjunct professor at Konkuk University Graduate School of Industry (age 38), as their eleventh recruit. The recruitment committee stated, "He is a unique domestic expert who has researched measures to eradicate defense industry corruption," adding, "This is the first time a defense industry expert has been recruited into the political arena."
Professor Choi was born in 1981 in Cheonan, Chungnam. He graduated from Soongsil University with a degree in Accounting (2004), earned a Master's in Business Administration from Kyung Hee University (2008), and obtained a Ph.D. in Defense Acquisition from Konkuk University (2016). Commissioned as a second lieutenant through the 43rd officer training course, Professor Choi was selected as an acquisition specialist at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration in 2011, serving in the International Parts Contract Team, Cost Accounting Verification Unit, and Cost Management Team. In 2016, he was appointed professor in the Department of Defense Management at the Korea National Defense University Graduate School of Defense Management, in 2018 professor in the Department of Defense Industry at Konkuk University Graduate School of Industry, and also in 2018 adjunct professor at Midwest University in the United States.
At the party induction ceremony, Professor Choi declared, "I will no longer tolerate defense industry corruption in the Republic of Korea." He emphasized, "To cultivate a global elite military, the defense acquisition system must gain the trust of the people," and pledged, "I will establish a transparent defense acquisition system through laws and regulations."
On the same day, the Liberty Korea Party recruited Shin Beom-cheol, head of the Security and Unification Center at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies (age 50), recognized as a foreign security expert.
Director Shin attended elementary, middle, and high school in Cheonan, Chungnam. He graduated from the Department of Judicial Studies at Chungnam National University College of Law, earned a master's degree from the same university's graduate school, and completed doctoral coursework in international law at Seoul National University Graduate School of Law. He also obtained a doctorate from Georgetown University in the United States, focusing on the use of military force.
He began his career as a foreign security expert in 1995 as a researcher at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA). From 2009 to 2010, during the Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as policy advisor to Defense Minister Kim Tae-young. Between 2013 and 2016, he held positions including policy planning officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy.
Director Shin stated, "Through personal experiences, I realized that democracy should not be monopolized by a particular faction but should benefit all citizens," adding, "I will mobilize all my background knowledge to help the Liberty Korea Party propose sound policies and properly check the government. I am committed to transforming the Liberty Korea Party into a policy-oriented party."
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