[Yongsan Report] Low Birthrate Chief Office "Hard to Find a Chief"... Composition Includes Chief + 3 Secretaries

Initial Appointment Target Delayed This Month
"Personnel Pool Reported and Appointment Process Underway"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol's order to establish a Low Birthrate Chief Office within the Presidential Office will be organized next month with one chief and three secretaries. The Presidential Office is currently working on selecting the chief and plans to start operations next month. Although President Yoon instructed to prioritize appointing a '40s working mom' who balances work and childcare, the limited talent pool has led to considering candidates including men and those in their 50s.

A senior official from the Presidential Office told Asia Economy, "The total fertility rate fell below 0.7 for the first time in the first quarter, and overcoming low birthrate is a crucial national task. Therefore, a suitable talent pool has been prepared and reported for candidate selection. While appointing bureaucrats might be relatively easier, this time we have collected talent from various fields, so it is taking time."

Initially, the Presidential Office aimed to appoint the Low Birthrate Chief by the end of this month, but due to the limitations of the talent pool, it has become difficult. Especially since President Yoon directly mentioned in the Chief Secretary meeting, "It would be good to find someone who deeply feels the low birthrate issue," the selection is being carefully considered, causing the process to take longer than expected.

The Low Birthrate Chief Office will lead the establishment of the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department, which will be promoted to a formal ministry in the future. The Presidential Office plans to focus on the 'planning' capabilities of the new department. President Yoon has stated that he models it after the 'Economic Planning Board,' which he once strongly controlled. Since the low birthrate issue involves coordinating and planning tasks across multiple ministries, there is also speculation that a person specialized in planning work may be appointed as the Low Birthrate Chief and the minister of the new department.

Another Presidential Office official said, "Next month, the Chief Office within the Presidential Office will initially be organized with about three secretaries, and the government ministry establishment work will begin. The 22nd National Assembly has convened, and amending the Government Organization Act is necessary to establish the Low Birthrate Ministry. The government and ruling party, who share consensus on the low birthrate issue, are expected to prioritize this."

Earlier this year, the Science and Technology Chief Secretary newly established in the Presidential Office had a female scientist as the final candidate but failed to pass the personnel screening process.