Sungjun Kim Appointed as Director of Personnel and Welfare at Ministry of National Defense... First Grade 1 Official Appointment under New Administration

On August 25, the Ministry of National Defense announced the appointment of Sungjun Kim, the former Director of the Jeonbuk Regional Military Manpower Administration (age 57, 38th Civil Service Exam), as the new Director of Personnel and Welfare. This marks the first appointment of a Grade 1 senior official at the Ministry of National Defense since the launch of the new administration.

Sungjun Kim, the newly appointed Director of Personnel and Welfare at the Ministry of National Defense. Ministry of National Defense

The new Director of Personnel and Welfare, Kim, graduated from Gwangju Salesio High School and earned a bachelor's degree in public administration from Chonnam National University. He also holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Washington in the United States. Since joining the ministry in 1995, Kim has held key positions including Director of Planning and Budget, Inspector General, Director of Planning and Management, Director of Personnel and Welfare, and Director of the Jeonbuk Regional Military Manpower Administration. Notably, he previously served as Director of Personnel and Welfare for a full three years from November 2020 to October 2023.

The Director of Personnel and Welfare at the Ministry of National Defense is a core position responsible for overseeing and coordinating personnel, welfare, and health policies for military personnel and civilian employees, as well as mobilization and reserve force policies. The position had been vacant since the previous director retired in June, and it has now been filled after about two months.

The Ministry of National Defense stated, "He possesses a strong sense of responsibility and calling, outstanding work execution, and excellent external cooperation skills," adding, "In particular, having previously served as Director of Personnel and Welfare, he is the right person to reliably carry out national tasks and major issues in the field of personnel and welfare, such as improving service conditions for soldiers, advancing the military medical system, and strengthening the reserve forces, based on his expertise in personnel and welfare."