President Yoon Appoints Hong Cheol-ho as New Senior Secretary for Political Affairs: "A Self-Made Entrepreneur" (Comprehensive)

Announces Appointment of Chief Secretary and Senior Secretary for Political Affairs
"Will Also Listen Carefully to Voices from the Field of Public Livelihood"

President Yoon Suk-yeol personally introduced Hong Cheol-ho, the new Senior Secretary for Political Affairs of the Presidential Office, at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 22nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 22nd, President Yoon Suk-yeol appointed former People Power Party lawmaker Hong Cheol-ho as the new Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the presidential office. Following the appointment of Jeong Jin-seok, a People Power Party lawmaker, as the new Chief of Staff of the presidential office earlier that morning, President Yoon accelerated personnel reshuffling by selecting Hong as the successor to Han Oh-seop, the outgoing Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, in the afternoon.

President Yoon personally announced Hong's appointment as the new Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Yongsan presidential office that afternoon. On the same day, he came down to the briefing room twice to make personnel announcements directly in front of reporters. Given the increased need for personnel reform following the April 10 general election defeat, it is interpreted that President Yoon intended to finalize the appointments of the Chief of Staff and Senior Secretary for Political Affairs and thoroughly prepare for the upcoming meeting with Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, scheduled for this week.

President Yoon introduced Hong to reporters, saying, "I have reviewed this morning and again," and added, "This is Hong Cheol-ho, who will now serve as the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the presidential office." He continued, "You all know that he was a re-elected lawmaker from Gimpo, and before being a politician, he is a self-made entrepreneur who overcame adversity. I heard from many people in the party that he has excellent communication and affinity skills, and above all, as a self-made businessman, I believe he will listen well to the voices from the field of public livelihood."

Yoon: "It Will Take Some Time to Appoint Successor Prime Minister"

Regarding the background of the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs appointment and the timing of the successor prime minister appointment, President Yoon explained, "It seems that appointing the successor prime minister will take some time. Since I proposed inviting Lee Jae-myung to Yongsan last Friday, there are various discussions to be had. I think it is better to appoint the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs quickly so that the new secretary can prepare and proceed."

New Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Presidential Office, Hong Cheol-ho, former member of the People Power Party.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The newly appointed Senior Secretary Hong was born in 1958 in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, and graduated from Yesan Agricultural Specialized School (now Kongju National University College of Industrial Sciences). He is regarded as a pioneering figure in the industry, having founded the chicken processing company Krechiko and the chicken franchise 'Goobne Chicken.'

He became a member of the National Assembly after winning the 2014 Gimpo by-election and re-election, and was elected again in the 2016 20th general election after the electoral district was reorganized to Gimpo-eul. During the 2017 19th presidential election, while affiliated with the Bareun Party, he served as chief of staff to presidential candidate Yoo Seung-min. After rejoining the party, he served as chief of staff to Kim Byung-joon, the emergency committee chairman of the Liberty Korea Party (the predecessor of the People Power Party).

Within the ruling party, he is evaluated as having led rational legislative activities. He ran for Gimpo-eul in the 21st and 22nd general elections but consecutively placed second and lost. In the recent general election, Hong raised the issue of incorporating Gimpo into Seoul.

Senior Secretary Hong: "An Election Confirming Public Sentiment... Political Affairs Must Fill the Result"

Senior Secretary Hong said, "It has been a long time since I stood in such a position. I am worried because it is too big for me," adding, "I spent a lot of time wondering if I am the right person. But fate gradually came to me like this. I decided to accept fate as fate." He continued, "This election result was an election confirming public sentiment even without me asking. I think the political affairs side must fill that result. I plan to approach it half by learning and half by using my parliamentary experience in a friendly manner," expressing his thoughts.

Meanwhile, as the Democratic Party of Korea expressed regret over the cancellation of a preparatory meeting for the summit between President Yoon and Leader Lee, which was unilaterally notified by the presidential office, Senior Secretary Hong said, "It seems like a half-day difference, so it is not a big deal."

Earlier, Kwon Hyuk-ki, head of the Democratic Party’s Political Planning Office, said in a briefing, "A preparatory meeting between Cheon Jun-ho, chief of staff to the party leader, and the presidential office’s Senior Secretary for Political Affairs was scheduled for 3 p.m. today. However, after Jeong Jin-seok was appointed Chief of Staff of the presidential office today, the Senior Secretary contacted Chief of Staff Cheon Jun-ho and unilaterally canceled the meeting, citing the planned replacement of the senior secretary." Kwon also criticized, "This was an important meeting to prepare for a summit that reflects the public sentiment from the general election, and I regret the clumsy handling of the preparatory meeting. The next meeting schedule is undecided."

In response, Senior Secretary Hong explained, "I will contact the opposition side today and meet with Chief of Staff Cheon Jun-ho tomorrow to establish connectivity on that matter." Regarding the agenda of the summit, he said, "I am sorry that I am not prepared at all. I will respond after meeting Chief of Staff Cheon first. I don’t even know what they will say, so it is difficult for me to answer now," he added.