Tensions Between Cheong and Transition Team Resolved... Appointment of Audit and Election Committee Members Completed

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 15th, President Moon Jae-in nominated Kim Pil-gon, the representative lawyer of Law Firm Oneul, as a candidate for the Central Election Commission member. Auditor General Choi Jae-hae also proposed appointments for the two vacant audit committee members on the same day. Since the decision was made after personnel consultations with the president-elect's side, it appears that the conflict between the old and new powers has been temporarily resolved.

Candidate Kim Pil-gon was born in 1963 in Daegu. He graduated from Gyeongbuk High School, Seoul National University with a degree in Public Law, and earned a master's degree in law from Korea University. He has served as chief judge of Daegu District Court, senior chief judge of Seoul Northern District Court, president of Daejeon District Court, chairman of the Daejeon Election Commission, and chief judge of Seoul High Court.

Park Soo-hyun, the Blue House Chief of Public Communication, stated in a briefing that "Candidate Kim is a legal expert who served as a judge for over 30 years until his retirement as chief judge of Seoul High Court in February 2021," and added, "During his tenure as president of Daejeon District Court in 2018, he also served as chairman of the Daejeon Metropolitan City Election Commission. Based on his expertise and insight into election law and experience in election management, he will contribute to fair and clean election administration," explaining the reason for his appointment.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

About an hour before the Blue House announcement on the same day, the Board of Audit and Inspection made appointments for the two vacant audit committee members. Director Choi Jae-hae nominated Professor Lee Mi-hyun of Yonsei University Law School and Lee Nam-gu, the second vice secretary of the Board of Audit and Inspection, as new audit committee members.

The appointment of audit committee members and election commission members had been a flashpoint of conflict between the old and new powers. Following the dramatic meeting between President Moon and President-elect Yoon, the personnel issues seem to have been settled for the time being. A Blue House official stated, "We have reached an agreement with the transition team regarding the appointments of audit and election commission members."

A transition team official also told reporters on the same day, "The president-elect naturally respects the personnel appointed by the Blue House," and added, "The Yoon administration's stance is to appoint truly capable individuals as workers."