Considering the Importance of Defense Cooperation with Indonesia
Former Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Bang Moon-kyu has reportedly been nominated as the Ambassador to Indonesia.
According to government officials on the 11th, the personnel screening process for former Minister Bang is underway. The ambassador position to Indonesia has been vacant for three months since former Ambassador Lee Sang-duk took office as the head of the Overseas Koreans Office in July.
Indonesia has been strengthening cooperation with Korea in defense and defense industry sectors, including jointly developing the Korean supersonic fighter KF-21. The unusual appointment of a former minister-level official to the ambassador position to Indonesia is interpreted as reflecting the importance of this relationship.
Former Minister Bang previously served as the 2nd Vice Minister of Strategy and Finance, Vice Minister of Health and Welfare, and President of the Export-Import Bank of Korea. Under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, he worked as the first Minister for Government Policy Coordination. He took office as Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy at the end of September last year, served for just over three months before stepping down, and ran unsuccessfully in the recent general election for Suwon-si Byeong district in Gyeonggi Province.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is preparing for the inauguration of the next government under President-elect Prabowo Subianto.
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