President Lee Announces First Cabinet Appointments
Nominees Span Centrist, Progressive, and Conservative Backgrounds
The first cabinet appointments made by President Lee Jaemyung after his inauguration emphasize practical personnel choices, including the appointment of experts from the private sector and figures spanning both progressive and conservative backgrounds. The decision to retain ministers from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration is also a noteworthy aspect.
The selection of a civilian as Minister of National Defense for the first time in 64 years reflects President Lee's commitment to fulfilling his campaign pledges. It is also notable that, for the first time in history, a former leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) has been nominated as Minister of Employment and Labor.
Bae Kyunghoon, head of the LG AI Research Institute, has been nominated as Minister of Science and ICT, while Han Seongsook, former CEO of Naver, has been nominated as Minister of SMEs and Startups. Bae, an authority in artificial intelligence (AI), has built his career at LG Electronics and LG AI Research Institute. Han, likewise, is a prominent talent in the IT industry, having served as CEO of Naver. These appointments are seen as a reflection of the Lee Jaemyung administration's personnel policy, which prioritizes ability over the traditional divide between the private and public sectors.
Appointments that transcend ideological lines are also drawing attention. Kwon Oeul, a former lawmaker nominated as Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, is a representative conservative politician who served three terms in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, as a member of the Grand National Party (now the People Power Party). Kim Younghoon, the nominee for Minister of Employment and Labor, is the first ministerial candidate from the KCTU.
Song Mireyong, who was appointed as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, will retain her position in the new government. By demonstrating a willingness to appoint officials from the previous administration when necessary, the new government is sending a message that it prioritizes continuity and pragmatism in state affairs.
For the first time since the 5·16 coup in 1961, a candidate who does not come from a military background has been nominated as Minister of National Defense, breaking with longstanding tradition. Ahn Kyubaek, the nominee for Minister of National Defense, is a five-term lawmaker and a defense expert who served on the National Assembly’s Defense Committee for 14 years.
The appointment of Jeong Dongyoung as Minister of Unification, Jeon Jaesoo as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, Kim Sunghwan as Minister of Environment, and Kang Sunwoo as Minister of Gender Equality and Family is intended to leverage their extensive political experience, political acumen, and expertise to implement the Lee Jaemyung administration’s policy pledges. The appointment of Yoon Changryeol as Minister for Government Policy Coordination, who previously served as both the first and second vice minister in the same office, is intended to emphasize stability in government operations.
The nomination of Cho Hyun, a career diplomat, as Minister of Foreign Affairs is a choice that considers both organizational stability and expertise in response to rapidly changing global affairs. On June 24, Cho Hyun told reporters, "The establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula is the top priority for the Lee Jaemyung administration’s foreign and unification policy."
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