Direct Briefing on Appointments at Yongsan Presidential Office
Expressing Will for Personnel Reform
"Will Communicate Smoothly with Opposition and Media"
Yoon "Discussed Livelihood Stability with Representative Lee Jae-myung"
"Will Listen Without Agenda Restrictions"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is introducing Jeong Jin-seok, a member of the People Power Party, who was appointed as the new Chief Presidential Secretary, during a personnel briefing held at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]
President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 22nd appointed Jeong Jin-seok, a member of the People Power Party, as the successor to Lee Gwan-seop as Chief of Staff of the Presidential Office. After a 12-day deliberation following the April 10 general election defeat over the new Chief of Staff and Prime Minister positions, Jeong was selected. With a meeting scheduled between President Yoon and Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, signaling the start of 'cooperation,' the new Chief of Staff is expected to lead a change in atmosphere.
President Yoon made the announcement live from the Yongsan Presidential Office. This was the first time since his national address on November 29 last year, following the failure to host the Expo, that he personally announced something in front of reporters. Even during the national address on medical reform and medical school expansion on the 1st of this month, he released the statement without reporters present.
The fact that President Yoon personally announced the appointment is interpreted as a strong indication of his will for personnel reform. The delay in the announcement and rampant speculation could have become obstacles to future governance, so there was a strong intention to change the atmosphere at Yongsan through the Chief of Staff appointment before it got any later.
After explaining the background of the Chief of Staff appointment, President Yoon said during a Q&A session with reporters about the future direction of governance, "From now on, please understand that I intend to focus on persuading and communicating with the public by approaching them more closely, and also on persuading and communicating not only with the ruling party but also with the opposition party to push forward policies."
Regarding the upcoming summit meeting scheduled for this week, he said, "I invited Leader Lee to Yongsan to listen to him a lot," adding, "Looking at the positions of the ruling and opposition parties so far, there have been quite stark differences. However, I think we will try to narrow those differences and find some livelihood issues we can agree on to do at least a few things for the stability of the people's livelihood," indicating that the discussion would not be limited to specific topics.
Five-term Senior Lawmaker Based in Chungcheong... Strengthening Communication
[Image source=Yonhap News]
New Chief of Staff Jeong is a five-term senior lawmaker based in the Chungcheong region. Having served as the Blue House Senior Secretary for Political Affairs and the former Saenuri Party floor leader, he is seen as possessing the political acumen that was considered a weakness of Lee Gwan-seop, the outgoing Chief of Staff. As a former journalist, he is also expected to contribute to communication with the media. There have been calls for a Chief of Staff with the experience to offer candid advice to the president for national innovation, and Jeong, who has a close relationship with President Yoon, is expected to provide frank counsel.
Born in 1960, the same year as President Yoon, Jeong is the second son of the late Jeong Seok-mo, a former Minister of the Interior and a former member of the National Assembly. He was born in Gongju, Chungnam, and graduated from Korea University with a degree in Political Science and Diplomacy. Since the launch of the Yoon administration, this is the first time a Chief of Staff has been appointed who is non-Yeongnam, non-Seoul National University, non-administrative exam, and a politician. After graduating from Korea University, Jeong joined the Hankook Ilbo and worked as a journalist for 15 years before becoming a member of the National Assembly through the 16th general election in 2000.
Notably, President Yoon has consistently expressed a close affinity with Jeong, as both share Gongju as their hometown?Yoon’s late father, the late Professor Yoon Ki-jung of Yonsei University, was also from Gongju. This has led the presidential office and ruling party to interpret Jeong’s appointment as someone who can understand the president’s inner circle and reflect that in governance. Jeong has also served as Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Secretary-General of the National Assembly, and Deputy Speaker. He currently chairs the Korea-Japan Parliamentary League, a bipartisan group of lawmakers from Korea and Japan. Furthermore, from July 2010 to June 2011, he served as Senior Secretary for Political Affairs under the Lee Myung-bak administration, gaining valuable experience. Notably, as Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, he facilitated a meeting between former President Lee Myung-bak and then Saenuri Party leader Park Geun-hye, despite their strained relationship.
Jeong Jin-seok: "The Responsibility Is Heavy... I Will Overcome Difficulties Together"
President Yoon Suk-yeol is introducing Jeong Jin-seok, a member of the People Power Party, who was appointed as the new Chief Presidential Secretary, during a personnel briefing held at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul, on the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]
New Chief of Staff Jeong said, "The responsibility on my shoulders is very heavy. It has not been long since the election ended, and I am actually exhausted, but I am concerned about the current minority government situation and anticipate disorder. I felt it was my responsibility to help the Yoon administration and support President Yoon during this difficult time," explaining his acceptance.
He continued, "I was the one who encouraged President Yoon to enter politics and contributed in my own way to the launch of the Yoon administration. I believe that overcoming difficulties together with the president is fulfilling my responsibility. Just now, President Yoon’s remarks indicated that he will pursue politics of convergence. I will do my best to assist him, even if only in a small way, in communicating, converging, and unifying politics," he pledged.
Additionally, he said, "In the past, the scholar Jeong Do-jeon said, ‘While managing the state, one cannot deceive the people with cunning nor suppress them with force.’ Even 600 years ago during the dynasty era, the people's expectations were like that. Now, we live in a republic. I will strive to speak to the president from an objective perspective, considering the people's viewpoint," he promised.
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