Kim Moon-soo Nominated as Minister of Employment, Kwon Ki-seop to Succeed
Park Sung-taek, Presidential Secretary, Appointed as 1st Vice Minister of Industry
Jeong Kyung-jo, Lee Se-woong, Ji Sung-ho Named Governors of Five Northern Provinces
Kwon Ki-seop, former Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, nominated as Chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Council, and Park Seong-taek, Presidential Office Industrial Policy Secretary, nominated as First Vice Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (Photo by Presidential Office)
President Yoon Suk-yeol announced on the 2nd that Kwon Ki-seop, former Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, has been nominated as the Chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Council, and Park Seong-taek, Presidential Office Industrial Policy Secretary, has been nominated as the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Chairman Kwon, born in 1969, graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Economics and earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York. He entered public service through the 36th Administrative Examination and served as Director of the Labor Inspection Policy Division, Director of Employment Policy, Director of Labor Policy, Head of the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters, and Vice Minister at the Ministry of Employment and Labor.
The Presidential Office described him as "a seasoned bureaucrat who worked at the Ministry of Employment and Labor for 30 years, having served as director of all three policy offices in labor, employment, and industrial safety, and as the inaugural vice minister under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration," adding, "based on his extensive policy experience in employment and labor, he is expected to seek policy alternatives for a sustainable economic society through social dialogue with various stakeholders."
The predecessor, former Chairman Kim Moon-soo, was nominated as Minister of Employment and Labor on the 31st of last month and is awaiting a confirmation hearing.
President Yoon nominated Park Seong-taek, Presidential Office Industrial Policy Secretary, as the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Vice Minister Park, born in 1969, graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Law. He passed the 39th Administrative Examination and served in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy as Director of Investment Policy, Director of Energy Industry Policy, and Director of Trade Security Policy.
The Presidential Office introduced him as "having held key positions across industry, trade, and energy sectors in the ministry, recognized for his outstanding work capabilities, and consecutively served as Policy Coordination Secretary and Industrial Policy Secretary at the Presidential Office."
It further explained, "Based on his rapid situational analysis and diverse experience in handling various issues, he is the right person to effectively promote national tasks in the industrial sector such as export and investment promotion, strengthening advanced industrial capabilities, and establishing supply chains and economic security, thereby revitalizing the real economy."
On the same day, President Yoon also announced appointments for the Governors of the Five Northern Provinces.
Jeong Gyeong-jo, former Deputy Commander of the Army's 3rd Corps (retired Lieutenant General), was nominated as Governor of Pyeongannam-do; Lee Se-ung, former President of the Korean Red Cross, as Governor of Pyeonganbuk-do; and Ji Seong-ho, former National Assembly member, as Governor of Hamgyeongbuk-do.
Governor Jeong is a second-generation displaced person whose father was born in Pyeongannam-do. The Presidential Office stated, "He has a deep interest in unification, has served as an advisory member of the National Unification Advisory Council and administrative advisor for Pyeongannam-do, and lectures on related topics at Kwandong University. He is expected to contribute to strengthening the role of the Northern Province residents' community in the unification field."
Governor Lee, born in Uiju, Pyeonganbuk-do, is a displaced person who has served as Vice Chairman of the National Unification Advisory Council's Five Northern Provinces Committee and as President and Vice President of the Korean Red Cross. The Presidential Office said, "As a successful entrepreneur, respected educator, and senior figure in the arts who has actively supported the cultural and artistic community, we expect him to engage in various activities to promote communication and harmony within the Northern Province residents' society."
Governor Ji is a North Korean defector who founded the North Korea Human Rights organization NAUH and has helped hundreds of defectors, raising global awareness of the severity of North Korean human rights issues. The Presidential Office explained, "Based on his experience as a National Assembly member, he is expected to faithfully support the stable settlement of North Korean defectors and exchanges with the Northern Province residents."
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