Continued Commitment to National Unity and Pragmatism
Sungshik Kim and Kyungsoo Lee Appointed Vice Chairs of Economic and Science Advisory Councils
Kim Jonggu Named Vice Minister of Agriculture, Jisun Hong Appointed Deputy Minister II of Land Ministry
Jung Josung Appointed Special Political Advisor, Hanju Lee Named Special Policy Advisor to the President
President Lee Jaemyung made a surprise selection of former lawmaker Lee Hyehoon as the first ministerial candidate for the Ministry of Planning and Budget. This move is interpreted as a continuation of the administration's commitment to national unity and pragmatism since the launch of the Lee Jaemyung government.
Additionally, Sungshik Kim, a former member of the National Assembly, was appointed as Vice Chairman of the National Economic Advisory Council; Kyungsoo Lee, former Director of the National Fusion Research Institute, was named Vice Chair of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council; Kim Jonggu, Director General for Food Policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, was appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; and Jisun Hong, Deputy Mayor of Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, was appointed Deputy Minister II of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Furthermore, President Lee appointed Jung Josung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, as Special Political Advisor to the President, and Hanju Lee, Chairman of the Korea Institute for Economic and Social Research, as Special Policy Advisor to the President.
At a briefing held at the Chunchugwan of the Blue House on December 28, Presidential Office Senior Secretary for Public Relations and Communications Lee Guyoun stated, "Former lawmaker Lee is an expert in policy and practical affairs, having served as secretary of the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts and as a research fellow at the Korea Development Institute (KDI)." He added, "Based on her philosophy of economic democratization, she sponsored amendments to the Minimum Wage Act and the Interest Rate Limitation Act, and has promoted policies to eradicate unfair trade practices and revitalize the economy for ordinary citizens."
He further explained, "Based on her many years of legislative experience, we believe she is the right person for the soon-to-be-launched Ministry of Planning and Budget to meticulously establish the nation's mid- to long-term strategies and restore future growth engines."
Lee Hyehoon is a three-term lawmaker who served in the Grand National Party, Saenuri Party, and United Future Party, the predecessors of the People Power Party, and also ran as the People Power Party candidate for Jung-gu and Seongdong-gu Gap in Seoul in the 22nd general election. Regarding the selection of a figure from the conservative bloc as the first ministerial candidate for the Ministry of Planning and Budget, Senior Secretary Lee commented, "President Lee's personnel philosophy for state affairs is fundamentally based on two pillars: integration and pragmatism. This personnel principle has been upheld in this appointment as well." He added, "She is recognized as an unparalleled expert in economic and budgetary matters, fully equipped with practical capabilities."
President Lee also appointed Sungshik Kim, former lawmaker, as Vice Chairman of the National Economic Advisory Council and Kyungsoo Lee, former Director of the National Fusion Research Institute, as Vice Chair of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council. Senior Secretary Lee described the newly appointed Vice Chairman Kim as "a two-term lawmaker with a strong reformist orientation and clear convictions, who has been recognized for his outstanding policy capabilities as secretary of the National Assembly's Strategy and Finance Committee and as chair of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Special Committee." He added, "He is expected to lead various innovation agendas, including overcoming structural economic crises and transitioning to artificial intelligence (AI)."
Regarding the newly appointed Vice Chair Lee, he said, "He is a world-renowned scholar in the field of nuclear fusion and a pioneer who has devoted nearly 40 years to research in nuclear fusion, which is considered a next-generation energy source." He continued, "He has led innovation in science and technology policy as Director of the National Fusion Research Institute and as Director General for Innovation at the Ministry of Science and ICT. We expect him to contribute to Korea's advancement as one of the top three AI countries and top five science and technology nations."
Kim Jonggu, Director General for Food Policy, was appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Jisun Hong, Deputy Mayor of Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, was appointed Deputy Minister II of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The Presidential Office explained that the early replacement of the Deputy Minister II of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport was a decision made to further enhance policy execution.
Senior Secretary Lee stated, "The newly appointed Vice Minister Kim is a seasoned bureaucrat and policy expert with extensive field experience and knowledge in the agri-food industry." He added, "He possesses excellent skills in mediating opinions among various stakeholders based on smooth communication abilities." He continued, "We believe he is the right person to responsibly implement a major transformation in agricultural policy, including establishing an income safety net for farmers and expanding K-Food Plus exports."
Regarding the newly appointed Deputy Minister II of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Jisun Hong, he explained, "She has held key positions in railways, roads, and construction for about 28 years in Gyeonggi Province." He added, "She is a seasoned bureaucrat with extensive frontline experience in everything from policy design to execution." He continued, "She is considered the right person to dynamically implement national tasks such as expanding transportation infrastructure for balanced regional development and realizing universal transportation welfare to address transportation disparities."
Finally, President Lee appointed Jung Josung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, as Special Political Advisor to the President, and Hanju Lee, Chairman of the Korea Institute for Economic and Social Research, as Special Policy Advisor to the President. These special advisors will provide counsel in their respective fields as President Lee leads the administration.
Senior Secretary Lee explained that Special Political Advisor Jung "is a six-term incumbent lawmaker with outstanding political acumen and excellent communication skills." He added, "He has held major positions such as Chairman of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, Secretary-General of the Democratic Party, and Chairman of the Policy Committee, demonstrating both practical and coordination capabilities." He continued, "Based on this experience, he is expected to support President Lee's commitment to national unity and provide political support for communication between the ruling and opposition parties as well as between the administration and the legislature."
Regarding Special Policy Advisor Hanju Lee, he said, "He is a former professor of economics who served as a member of the Moon Jaein Policy Planning Committee and as chairman of the National Policy Planning Committee under the Lee Jaemyung administration." He added, "As an expert who has designed the direction of national administration, he has a high level of understanding of the Lee Jaemyung government's policy direction, including the establishment of a five-year national plan and the implementation of key policy tasks." He continued, "We believe he is the right person to fully fulfill the advisory role on the Lee Jaemyung government's policies."
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