"US Expert Park Jin, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nominee, Has Senior-Junior Relationship with President-Elect Yoon at University"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] Park Jin, a member of the People Power Party, has been nominated as the first Minister of Foreign Affairs candidate under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol announced the second cabinet lineup, including this nomination, at 2 p.m. on the 13th.

Park is a four-term senior lawmaker known as a "U.S. expert." He served as the chairman of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Unification Committee during the 18th National Assembly. In July 2008, as head of the Korea-U.S. Parliamentary Diplomatic Association, he visited the U.S. Capitol and met then-Vice President Joe Biden.

Due to these capabilities and connections, Park was appointed as the head of President-elect Yoon's Korea-U.S. policy consultation delegation and recently completed a 5-night, 7-day visit to the United States.

Park and President-elect Yoon are senior and junior alumni of Seoul National University’s College of Law. Park entered in 1974, and Yoon in 1979. They also built a close relationship through the law students’ academic club, the "Criminal Law Society." It is said that they got along well personally, with Yoon, the junior, even attending Park’s wedding.

Park and Yoon officially joined forces ahead of the 2021 September presidential election. Recognizing the growing importance of diplomacy and security, Yoon recruited Park as chairman of the Global Vision Committee.

Based on his diverse field experience as a presidential secretary, university professor, lawyer, and lawmaker, Park designed foreign and security policies.

His policy direction is praised for shifting from abstract discourses like North Korean denuclearization and peace to practical issues such as climate change, carbon neutrality, economic security responses, and digital transformation.

Park passed the 1977 Foreign Service Examination (11th class) and began his career as a diplomat. He entered politics as the public relations secretary to former President Kim Young-sam. In 2002, he entered the National Assembly through a by-election in Jongno District, a political hotspot.

Before and after the 2008 presidential election, he led policy formulation as chairman of the International Relations Special Committee of the election campaign and as secretary of the Foreign Affairs, Unification, and Security Subcommittee of the Presidential Transition Committee.

He is known for his excellent English skills and guitar talent that captivates audiences, and his wide social network is attributed to his affability and gentle personality. He is married to Jo Yoon-hee and has one son and one daughter.

▲ Seoul (66) ▲ Seoul National University College of Law, Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School, Ph.D. in Political Science from Oxford University ▲ 11th Foreign Service Examination ▲ Presidential Secretary at the Blue House ▲ Secretary of the Foreign Affairs, Unification, and Security Subcommittee of the 17th Presidential Transition Committee ▲ 16th, 17th, 18th, and 21st National Assembly member ▲ Member of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee in the first half of the 21st National Assembly