Choi Hwiyoung, Han Seongsuk, and Ha Jungwoo:
The Rise of "Naver Alumni" as Key Figures in the Administration
(From left) Choi Hwiyoung, nominee for Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Han Seongsuk, nominee for Minister of SMEs and Startups; Ha Jungwoo, Chief of AI Future Planning at the Presidential Office.
Former Naver executives are increasingly entering key positions in the Lee Jaemyung administration. Starting with the Chief of AI Future Planning at the Presidential Office, Naver alumni have been nominated for ministerial posts at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, drawing attention to their presence in top government roles.
Ha Jungwoo, former head of the Naver Cloud AI Innovation Center, was appointed as the first Chief of AI at the Presidential Office, a newly established position in this administration. Han Seongsuk, former CEO of Naver, was nominated as Minister of SMEs and Startups. On July 11, Choi Hwiyoung, also a former Naver CEO, was selected to lead the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This effectively forms a "Naver alumni triumvirate" that will collectively steer the nation's technology, industry, and cultural policies. Choi, a former broadcast journalist, also served as CEO of Interpark.
This trend of appointments across various government sectors is interpreted as an effort not merely to recruit corporate talent, but to embed digital industry experience and strategy into government operations. The administration highlights private sector expertise and a hands-on digital perspective as key strengths. Ha is an artificial intelligence expert who led HyperCLOVA X; Han spearheaded the platformization of small businesses through Smart Store and Project Flower; Choi, having served as CEO of NHN and travel platform Nol Universe, brings comprehensive experience in the content ecosystem.
As a result, there are growing expectations for strong execution in driving digital transformation. An ICT industry insider commented, "Unlike past policymakers, these individuals truly understand the pulse of technology and platforms," adding, "If private sector sensibilities are reflected in policy, the government's digital responsiveness will accelerate significantly."
However, there are also concerns about excessive concentration of talent from Naver. Since all these appointees come from the same platform company, some worry that government policy could become overly focused on specific industries or corporations.
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