Cheong to announce vice minister-level personnel today... Financial Services Commission Chairman Ko Seung-beom & Human Rights Commission Chairman Song Doo-hwan (Comprehensive)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The Blue House today announced personnel appointments at the ministerial and vice-ministerial levels, nominating Ko Seung-beom, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Korea, as the new Financial Services Commission Chairman, and Song Doo-hwan, the representative lawyer of the law firm Hangyeol, as the new Human Rights Commission Chairman.

Park Soo-hyun, the Blue House Senior Secretary for Public Communication, stated on the 5th, "President Moon Jae-in has carried out political appointments for ministerial and vice-ministerial positions."

Born in 1962, the new Financial Services Commission Chairman nominee Ko graduated from Gyeongbok High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Economics, earned a master's degree in Public Administration from Seoul National University, and a Ph.D. in Economics from American University in the United States. He passed the 28th National Civil Service Examination and has served as Director of the Financial Policy Bureau, Director of the Financial Services Bureau, Secretary-General, and Standing Commissioner of the Financial Services Commission, and is currently serving as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee.

Park said, "Candidate Ko has a deep understanding of overall financial policy and is the first to be reappointed as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, recognized domestically and internationally for his expertise and capabilities. Based on his extensive insight into macroeconomics and finance and experience in responding to economic and financial crises, he is expected to respond smoothly to financial issues such as COVID-19 financial support, household debt management, financial industry and digital finance innovation, and financial consumer protection, and contribute to the rapid and strong recovery of our economy and its transition to a leading economy through close communication and cooperation with related agencies such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance."

Born in 1949, the new Human Rights Commission Chairman nominee Song graduated from Gyeonggi High School and Seoul National University with a degree in Law, passed the 22nd bar exam, served as president of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society, special prosecutor for the North Korea remittance suspicion case, mediator of the Disability Discrimination Adjustment Committee of the National Human Rights Commission, constitutional court justice, and is currently serving as the representative lawyer of the law firm Hangyeol.

Park said, "Candidate Song is evaluated as having taken the lead in expanding citizens' political freedoms and other fundamental rights, and protecting the human rights of socially vulnerable groups. Based on his firm belief in human rights protection and warm and rational leadership, he is expected to strengthen the status of the National Human Rights Commission and strive to enhance the status of the Republic of Korea as an advanced human rights country in line with changing international human rights standards," explaining the reason for his appointment.

The Blue House also stated that candidate Song was selected through a public recruitment and candidate recommendation committee process, securing the independence and transparency of the human rights commissioner election procedure demanded by domestic and international human rights organizations such as the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI).

The Blue House plans to appoint both candidates after the National Assembly confirmation hearings.

President Moon also made vice-ministerial appointments on the same day. Ko Gyu-chang, Director General of Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Lee Seung-woo, Director General of Disaster Cooperation at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, were appointed as Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters, respectively.

Park said, "New Vice Minister Ko has broad understanding of local fieldwork and excellent policy planning skills, and is expected to flawlessly accomplish national tasks such as resident-centered local autonomy, regional balanced New Deal for regional economic revitalization, and government innovation. New Head Lee will faithfully carry out major tasks such as full-scale COVID-19 response and innovation of the disaster safety management system based on his diverse disaster response experience and work execution ability," explaining the reasons for their appointments.

Additionally, Park Ki-young, Director General of Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Yeo Han-gu, Secretary for New Southern and New Northern Policies at the Presidential Secretariat, were appointed as the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Head of the Trade Negotiation Headquarters, respectively. Park Mu-ik, Director General of Transportation and Logistics at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, was appointed as Administrator of the Administrative City Construction Agency, and Hong Hyun-ik, Senior Research Fellow of the Security Strategy Research Division at the Sejong Institute, was nominated as President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy.

Park said, "New Vice Minister Park has high expertise in energy and resource policies, excellent work execution capabilities, and smooth communication skills, and will successfully complete core policies such as the hydrogen economy, green New Deal, energy transition, and carbon neutrality." Regarding new Head Yeo, he explained, "He is highly evaluated for his outstanding policy formulation and coordination abilities in international trade and economic cooperation, as well as his excellent negotiation skills."

He also said, "New Administrator Park is an administrative expert with a high understanding of overall land and transportation work and broad policy vision," and "New President Hong has broad understanding and expertise in diplomacy and security," explaining the reasons for their appointments.