Around 10 Deputy Ministers Centered on Economic Ministries Expected to Be Replaced

Expected to Include Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy... Analysis of Strengthening National Tasks in the Latter Half of the Term

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] President Moon Jae-in is expected to carry out personnel changes involving about 10 vice minister-level officials soon.

This is analyzed as an intention to inject vitality into the organization by replacing long-serving vice ministers at the late stage of his term and to accelerate the completion of major national policy tasks.

The ministries targeted for replacement are reportedly concentrated in economic-related departments such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

In particular, amid recent unrest in public sentiment over the housing shortage, Park Seon-ho, the 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, who oversees housing policy, is said to be among those to be replaced.

Potential successors include Yoon Sung-won, former Secretary for Land, Infrastructure and Transport who left the Blue House in July, and Lee Moon-gi, Administrator of the Administrative City Construction Agency.

Also, Jeong Seung-il, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, is considered a replacement candidate due to his long tenure exceeding two years since appointment.

Names mentioned as his possible successors include Park Jin-gyu, former Secretary for New Southern and New Northern Policies, who was also replaced after working at the Blue House until July.

Additionally, there is speculation about possible vice minister-level changes in the Financial Services Commission and the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

This large-scale personnel reshuffle in the economic sector can also be interpreted as a signal that the Moon Jae-in administration intends to more vigorously promote the Korean New Deal, proposed to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, vice minister-level personnel changes may also take place in non-economic ministries or affiliated agencies of various ministries.