President Lee Nominates Six Additional Ministerial Candidates for Economy, Justice, Interior, Education, Industry, and Welfare Ministries... Only Land and Culture Ministries Remain
Appointments Also Made for Senior Presidential Secretaries for Civil Affairs and Listening and Integration... Presidential Office Senior Staff Lineup Completed
Balanced Representation of Politicians, Bureaucrats, and Private-Sector Experts
Emphasis on Merit-Based Selection, Political Inclusivity, Generational Change, and Gender Equality
Since President Lee Jaemyung's inauguration, the process of forming the cabinet has entered its final stage, with ministerial nominees selected for 17 out of 19 government ministries. The rapid pace of appointments?less than a month after the inauguration?was intended to minimize any administrative vacuum in a government launched without a transition committee. The cabinet has been filled with individuals who possess a deep understanding of the Lee Jaemyung administration's policies, as well as strong expertise and practical skills. As a result, six National Assembly members from the Democratic Party of Korea have been appointed to the cabinet, while private-sector experts from companies such as Naver and LG have also been selected. As the presidential office accelerates its vetting process to find the most suitable candidates, nominees for the remaining positions?the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport?are expected to be announced soon.
On June 29, President Lee nominated candidates for six ministerial posts that had been vacant. For Minister of Economy and Finance, Koo Yooncheol, a special professor at Seoul National University, was selected, while Kim Jungkwan, President of Doosan Enerbility, who transitioned from a government official to a business executive, was nominated for Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy. For Minister of Justice, who will be tasked with reforms such as prosecutorial reform, five-term senior lawmaker Jung Sung-ho of the Democratic Party was chosen. Yoon Hojoong, also a Democratic Party lawmaker, was nominated for Minister of the Interior and Safety, and Jeong Eun-kyeong, former Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, was named as the nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare. Lee Jinsook, former president of Chungnam National University, was nominated for Minister of Education.
The Lee Jaemyung administration’s appointments are seen as balanced, emphasizing merit-based selection, political inclusivity, generational change, and gender equality, while including politicians, bureaucrats, and private-sector experts. Notably, a large number of current 22nd-term ruling party lawmakers have been appointed to the cabinet: including Jung Sung-ho and Yoon Hojoong, as well as Ahn Kyubaek for Minister of National Defense, Kim Seonghwan for Minister of Environment, Kang Sunwoo for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, and Jeon Jaesoo for Minister of Oceans and Fisheries. All six are members of the Democratic Party and have built political trust and policy consensus with President Lee.
The inclusion of private-sector experts is also noteworthy. Bae Kyunghoon, nominee for Minister of Science and ICT, is a former head of LG’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institute and is recognized as an AI expert with experience spanning both industry and academia. Han Seongsook, nominee for Minister of SMEs and Startups, is a pioneering figure in the IT industry who previously served as CEO of Naver, with extensive experience in the platform industry and digital economy. Kim Jungkwan, the nominee for Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, is a former official at the Ministry of Economy and Finance who joined Doosan in 2018 and has since served as president of Doosan Enerbility, demonstrating a deep understanding of the real economy and industry as a whole.
Many nominees are also former government officials. Koo Yooncheol, nominee for Minister of Economy and Finance, is considered a “budget expert” who has served as Director-General for Budget, Second Vice Minister, and Minister for Government Policy Coordination. Cho Hyun, nominee for Minister of Foreign Affairs, is a diplomatic expert who has served as Ambassador to the United Nations and as Vice Minister. Jeong Eun-kyeong, nominee for Minister of Health and Welfare, is a public health administration expert who led the COVID-19 response as Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. Lee Jinsook, nominee for Minister of Education, is a former university president and professor.
This cabinet is also notable for its increased proportion of women. With Song Miryeong retaining her post as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, five women have been nominated as ministers for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of SMEs and Startups. There have also been unconventional appointments: Kim Younghoon, nominee for Minister of Employment and Labor, is a former labor activist who served as head of the Korean Railway Workers’ Union and as chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, while Kwon Oeul, nominee for Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, is a former member of the conservative Grand National Party. According to the presidential office, these appointments symbolize unity and pragmatism. Oh Youkyoung, Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, who was appointed during the Yoon Sukyeol administration, has also been retained to ensure continuity and policy consistency.
The selection of senior-level aides in the presidential office is also nearing completion. Starting with Chief of Staff Kang Hunsik, the economic team has been organized with Kim Yongbeom as Policy Chief, Ha Junkyung as Senior Secretary for Economic Growth, Moon Jinyoung as Senior Secretary for Social Affairs, and Ryu Deokhyun as Secretary for Fiscal Planning. In the political, civil affairs, and communications sectors, Woo Sangho has been appointed Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, Lee Gyuyoun as Senior Secretary for Public Relations, Jeon Seonghwan as Senior Secretary for Listening and Integration, and Bong Wook as Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs, establishing a comprehensive support system. In addition, President Lee has appointed Kim Kyungsoo, former Governor of South Gyeongsang Province, as Chair of the Presidential Committee for Regional Era, and has completed the intelligence lineup by appointing the First and Second Deputy Directors and the Director of Planning and Coordination at the National Intelligence Service.
President Lee plans to finalize appointments for the remaining two ministries soon. Currently, out of the 19 government ministries, only the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism have yet to see nominees appointed, and are being managed by acting ministers. A presidential office official stated, "The verification process is underway to find the best candidates for these two ministries, and the final appointments will be completed soon."
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