<與, Samsung Electronics President Former Go Dong-jin Elected
Democratic Party Recruits Gong Young-woon and Lee Jae-sung Face Defeat
Trend Shows Decrease in 'Economic Experts' Compared to 20th-21st Sessions>
The number of 'economic experts' who have served as business leaders or economic officials in the National Assembly is gradually decreasing. While there were more than 30 'economic expert lawmakers' during the 20th National Assembly, the number barely maintained double digits.
As of the morning of the 11th, according to the vote count results of the 22nd general election, Go Dong-jin, a People Power Party (PPP) elected member who previously served as president of Samsung Electronics, planted his flag as a 'first-term' lawmaker in Gangnam-gu B, Seoul. Go is a self-made figure who rose from a regular employee to CEO of Samsung Electronics' Mobile (IM) division. The 'Galaxy Note' series, planned during his time as head of the Wireless Business Development Management Team, became a success and is known in the industry as the 'Galaxy myth.'
In the People Power Party, other newly elected members entering the National Assembly include Park Soo-min (Gangnam-gu Eul, Seoul), who served as a director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD); Park Sung-hoon (Buk-gu Eul, Busan), former Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs of Busan; and Lee Jong-wook (Changwon-si Jinhae-gu, Gyeongnam), former Director-General of Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Among incumbent lawmakers, there are Cho Jung-hoon (Mapo-gu Gap, Seoul), a former World Bank (WB) official; Chu Kyung-ho (Dalseong-gun, Daegu), former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs; and Song Eon-seok (Gimcheon-si, Gyeongbuk), former Vice Minister of Economy and Finance. Ahn Cheol-soo, founder of AhnLab, also overturned exit poll results to secure victory in Seongnam-si Bundang-gu Gap, Gyeonggi Province.
In the Democratic Party, former bureaucrats have newly emerged. These include Ahn Do-gul (Dong-gu Nam-gu Eul, Gwangju), former Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, and Jo In-cheol (Seo-gu Gap, Gwangju), also from the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Ahn became a topic of discussion as the first 'Honam native' budget director in 16 years during the Moon Jae-in administration. He was a leading figure in managing supplementary budgets during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jo, who passed the 40th administrative examination, served as head of the Culture Budget Division and Agriculture, Forestry and Maritime Budget Division at the Ministry of Economy and Finance before becoming Deputy Mayor for Culture and Economy of Gwangju.
Kim Hyun-jung (Pyeongtaek-si Byeong, Gyeonggi), former chairperson of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) National Office and Financial Services Union, defeated Yoo Ui-dong, the PPP Policy Committee Chair, to win. Park Hong-bae, chairperson of the Korean Federation of Trade Unions (KFTU) National Financial Industry Union, who was placed 8th on the Democratic United Party proportional representation list, also secured a seat. From the Innovation Party, Lee Hae-min, former Google Senior Product Manager and 3rd on the proportional representation list, was confirmed elected.
On the 1st, at the election campaign office of Yang Hyang-ja, candidate for Yongin Gap in Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, Yang is speaking at the Reform New Party Central Election Countermeasures Committee meeting. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Many 'economic experts' also faced defeat. In the People Power Party, former lawmakers from the Korea Development Institute (KDI) such as Yoon Hee-sook (Jung-gu Seongdong-gu Gap, Seoul) and Lee Hye-hoon (Jung-gu Seongdong-gu Eul, Seoul), as well as Bang Moon-kyu (Suwon-si Byeong, Gyeonggi), who served as the second Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, lost their races.
In the Democratic Party, candidates who tasted defeat include Kim Byung-wook (Seongnam-si Bundang-gu Eul, Gyeonggi), Gong Young-woon, former president of Hyundai Motor Company (Hwaseong-si Eul, Gyeonggi), and Lee Jae-sung, former executive director at NCSoft (Saha-gu Eul, Busan). Yang Hyang-ja, the 'semiconductor myth' and candidate of the Reform Innovation Party (Yongin-si Gap, Gyeonggi), also failed to secure re-election.
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