Yoon Sung-won, Former Blue House Secretary, New First Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport... Housing Sector Expert

Yoon Sung-won, New First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] Yoon Sung-won, former Secretary for Land, Infrastructure and Transport at the Presidential Office, was appointed as the 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 1st.

Yoon Sung-won, the new 1st Vice Minister of MOLIT (age 55), who passed the 34th Administrative Examination, was dispatched to the Blue House in June 2017, right after the Moon Jae-in administration took office, and coordinated real estate-related policies at the Blue House for three years until last July.

As the government repeatedly announced real estate measures to curb soaring housing prices, he played an important bridging role between the Blue House and MOLIT. Therefore, there were many expectations inside and outside MOLIT that he would succeed Park Sun-ho as the 1st Vice Minister.

Vice Minister Yoon graduated from Busan Dongcheon High School and Seoul National University with a degree in International Economics. He passed the administrative examination in 1990 and entered public service in April 1991.

During the Roh Moo-hyun administration from 2003 to 2005, he was dispatched to the Blue House and served as the head of the Housing Welfare Team at the Disparity and Discrimination Correction Planning Group. He also served as Director of Land Policy Division, Planning Officer, and Director of the International Cooperation Division at MOLIT.

Afterwards, he served as Director of Urban Policy from 2014 to 2015 and Director of Land Policy from 2015 to 2017. With the launch of the Moon Jae-in administration in 2017, he joined the Blue House as Secretary for Land, Infrastructure and Transport, participating in major real estate stabilization measures such as the 8.2 Measures, 9.13 Measures, and 12.16 Measures.

Having worked at the Blue House for three years, he is evaluated as having a deep understanding of the current administration’s real estate policy philosophy. Since leaving the Blue House last July, he has been on standby at the MOLIT headquarters.

He owned two houses in Gangnam, Seoul, and Sejong City but sold the Sejong City house amid controversies over multiple homeownership among Blue House aides.

Given the recent instability in the real estate market, such as soaring jeonse prices following successive government real estate measures, his appointment is interpreted as an attempt to turn the tide.

He is recognized for his excellent work performance and expertise in the housing sector.

Below are Vice Minister Yoon’s major career highlights:

▲ Busan Dongcheon High School ▲ Seoul National University, Department of International Economics ▲ MOLIT Land Policy Division Director ▲ Planning Officer ▲ Presidential Office Secretary for Land, Infrastructure and Transport ▲ Director of Urban Policy ▲ Director of Land Policy ▲ Presidential Office Secretary for Land, Infrastructure and Transport