President Moon Makes Vice Minister-Level Appointments... Lee Kang-seop Named Chief of Legislation Office, Choi Jong-geon Appointed First Vice Foreign Minister (Update)

(From left) Kangseop Lee, Commissioner of the Ministry of Government Legislation · Jonggeon Choi, Nominee for First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Sun-hee] On the 14th, President Moon Jae-in appointed Lee Kang-seop, Deputy Chief of the Ministry of Government Legislation (56), as the new Chief of the Ministry of Government Legislation, and Choi Jong-geon, Peace Planning Secretary of the National Security Council (NSC) at the Blue House (46), as the First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Amid expectations that a minister-level reshuffle is imminent, vice minister-level appointments were made first.

The Blue House announced a total of nine vice minister-level appointments that day. Lee Jae-young, Director of the Government Innovation Organization Office at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (54), was appointed as the new Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety; Park Jun-young, Director of the Planning and Coordination Office at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (53), as Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries; Heo Tae-woong, President of the Korea National College of Agriculture and Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (55), as Administrator of the Rural Development Administration; Kim Yong-rae, Director of the Industrial Innovation Growth Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (52), as Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office; Yang Chung-mo, Fiscal Management Officer at the Ministry of Economy and Finance (57), as Administrator of the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency; Lee Nam-woo, Director of the Personnel Welfare Office at the Ministry of National Defense (53), as Vice Administrator of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; and Kim Jae-shin, Secretary General of the Korea Fair Trade Commission (52), as Vice Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission, respectively.

(From left) Lee Jae-young, Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety; Park Jun-young, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; Heo Tae-woong, Administrator of the Rural Development Administration; Kim Yong-rae, Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office; Yang Chung-mo, Administrator of the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency; Lee Nam-woo, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; Kim Jae-shin, Vice Chairman of the Korea Fair Trade Commission / Photo by Cheong Wa Dae

The new Chief of the Ministry of Government Legislation graduated from Yangjeong High School in Seoul and Yonsei University with a degree in Business Administration, earned a master's degree in Public Administration from Seoul National University, and a doctorate in Law from Syracuse University in the United States. He passed the 31st Administrative Examination and has served as Director of the Social and Cultural Legislation Bureau, Economic Legislation Bureau, and Legal Interpretation Bureau at the Ministry of Government Legislation.

Kang Min-seok, spokesperson for the Blue House, said, "The new Chief of the Ministry of Government Legislation has held key positions within the Ministry and is known for his profound knowledge of legislative affairs and rational handling of tasks, earning strong trust within the organization." He added, "As the head of the government's top legal interpretation institution, he is expected to strengthen legislative support services for each ministry, promote proactive administration in the public sector, and support the smooth implementation of national agenda items."

The new First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Choi, has worked as the Peace Planning Secretary at the Blue House for about a year and a half since March last year, overseeing North Korea-related policies. There were rumors of conflicts with his direct superior, Kim Hyun-jong, the NSC Second Vice Minister, and at one point, he reportedly expressed his intention to resign, but this appointment naturally led to his transfer. With Cho Se-young, a prominent 'Japan expert' and the former First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, stepping down, changes in Japan policy are also anticipated.

Spokesperson Kang said, "The new First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Choi, has accumulated extensive practical experience in diplomacy and security, including U.S. diplomacy and North Korean denuclearization," and added, "He is expected to carry out the national agenda of 'confident diplomacy leading international cooperation' without any setbacks."

The new Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, Kim, graduated from Yeongnak High School in Seoul and Yonsei University with a degree in Electrical Engineering, and earned a doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Leeds in the UK. He passed the 26th Technical Examination and has served as Director of the Materials and Components Industry Policy Office, Energy Industry Policy Office, and Deputy Minister for Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Spokesperson Kang said, "Kim, the new Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, is an expert who entered public service through the technical examination and has extensive experience in industry, technology, and energy," adding, "He is expected to lead innovation in patent administration to secure national technological competitiveness in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution." Meanwhile, the current Commissioner Park Won-joo is reportedly being strongly considered as a candidate for the next Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy.