Yoon Appoints Six Vice Ministers Including 2nd Vice Minister of Ministry of Economy and Finance

Vice Minister Gi Jae 2nd Kim Yunsang · Vice Minister of Land 1st Jin Hyunhwan · Vice Minister of Gender Equality Shin Youngsook
Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Song Myungdal · Public Procurement Service Chief Lim Gigeun · Prime Minister's Secretariat Chief Son Youngtaek

President Yoon Suk-yeol made appointments on the 27th, naming six vice minister-level officials including the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The presidential office announced that President Yoon appointed the new 2nd Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family, 1st Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Administrator of the Public Procurement Service, and Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister's Secretariat in the afternoon.

Kim Yunsang, New First Vice Minister of Strategy and Finance

Kim Yoon-sang, the 2nd Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, was born in 1969. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Business Administration and entered public service by passing the 36th Administrative Examination. At the Ministry of Economy and Finance, he has held key positions such as Director of Welfare Budget Division, Director of Budget Policy Division, Director General of Budget, Financial Attach? in Washington, Spokesperson, Director General of Public Policy Bureau, and Fiscal Management Officer (Grade 1).

The presidential office stated, "Vice Minister Kim is a seasoned fiscal bureaucrat who has demonstrated outstanding work capabilities while handling fiscal and budget policies for a long time," adding, "based on his fiscal expertise and extensive policy experience, he is expected to steadily carry out fiscal tasks such as rational allocation of national resources, improvement of fiscal soundness, and support for the livelihood economy."

Shin Young-sook, an expert in human resource management and organizational restructuring within the civil service, and former President of the National Human Resources Development Institute, was appointed as Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family. Born in 1968 in Dangjin, Chungnam, Vice Minister Shin graduated from Korea University with a degree in English Literature and began her public service career by passing the 37th Administrative Examination. She has served as ▲Labor-Management Cooperation Officer at the Ministry of Personnel Management ▲Director of Personnel Organization Division ▲Director General of Personnel Management Bureau ▲Administrative Officer at the Personnel Secretary Office of the Presidential Secretariat ▲and Head of Leadership Development Department at the National Human Resources Development Institute, making her a recognized expert in civil servant talent development. Lee Ki-il, the 1st Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, is Vice Minister Shin’s spouse, making them a couple serving simultaneously as vice ministers.

The presidential office commented, "Vice Minister Shin is a seasoned bureaucrat with experience in human resource management, having served as a member of the Civil Service Appeals Commission and as President (vice minister-level) of the National Human Resources Development Institute," and added, "With her expertise in personnel and organizational management and rich public service experience, she is the right person to steadily carry out the organizational restructuring of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family while managing the organization with stability."

Jin Hyun-hwan, the 1st Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, was born in 1965. He graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in Economics and entered public service by passing the 36th Administrative Examination. Vice Minister Jin has worked at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for 30 years, holding key positions such as Director of Land Policy, Director of Housing Welfare Policy, and Director General of Housing and Land Office, making him an expert in real estate policy. The presidential office introduced him as "the right person to solidly promote the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s national tasks in the real estate sector, including promoting housing supply and strengthening housing stability and welfare."

Song Myung-dal, the newly appointed Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries [Image source=Yonhap News]

Song Myung-dal, Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, was born in 1966. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Political Science and entered public service by passing the 39th Administrative Examination. At the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, he has served as Director of Operations Support Division, Legal Officer for Regulatory Reform, Director of Marine Policy Division, Director General of Marine Environment Policy (Director General), and Spokesperson, and was appointed Director General of Marine Policy Office in July last year. The presidential office explained, "Vice Minister Song is well-versed in all areas of marine policy, port logistics, and fisheries, having held major positions at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and is an executive with excellent planning skills," adding, "In 2020, he was selected as the 'Top Captain,' the most desirable executive civil servant to work with, by Ministry employees, demonstrating both ability and character, earning strong trust within the ministry. He is the right person to assist the new minister and steadily carry out national tasks in the marine and fisheries sector."

With Kim Yoon-sang moving to a new position, Lim Ki-geun, Fiscal Management Officer at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, was appointed as the new Administrator of the Public Procurement Service. Born in 1968, Lim graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Business Administration and entered public service by passing the 36th Administrative Examination. He has worked at the Ministry of Economy and Finance for about 30 years, holding positions such as Director General of Public Policy Bureau, Director of Budget Review, and Fiscal Management Officer, making him an expert in public and fiscal policy. The presidential office emphasized, "Based on his extensive experience in economic policy, he is the right person to strengthen trust and competitiveness in public procurement administration and to promote the establishment of a fair procurement market order."

Son Young-taek, Chief Secretary of the Prime Minister's Secretariat’s Civil Affairs Office, was appointed as the new Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister. Born in 1972 in Yeongdong, Chungbuk, Son graduated from Sungkyunkwan University with a degree in Law. He passed the 43rd Judicial Examination in 2001 and completed the Judicial Research and Training Institute (33rd class) in 2004. Son served as the Policy Communication Officer of the Policy Headquarters of the People Power Party during the 20th Presidential Election and was a planning committee member of the Presidential Transition Committee in March last year. The presidential office explained, "With his legal and policy expertise as well as excellent external communication and political skills, he is judged to be the right person to assist the Prime Minister in smoothly performing his duties."