Yoon appoints Ahn as head of transition committee

Mar 14, 2022, 09:11 am

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President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a press conference at the People Power Party’s headquarters in Seoul, Sunday to appoint the chairperson and the vice person of the presidential transition committee./ Photographed by Song Eui-joo

AsiaToday reporter Lee Yoo-jin

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol appointed Sunday, Ahn Cheol-soo, chairperson of the minor opposition People’s Party, to lead his presidential transition committee. Yoon also tapped People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Kwon Young-se and former Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong as the committee’s vice chairperson and planning chief, respectively.

Yoon announced the appointment results in a briefing at the People Power Party’s headquarters in Yeouido at 2 p.m., saying, “As a competent government, we will serve the people and achieve national unity.”

As a result, Ahn will be working together with Yoon in forming the transition committee and the government. Political observers say Yoon made the first step toward forming a joint government that was agreed by both Yoon and Ahn while unifying their candidacies.

“Ahn Cheol-soo and I share values and philosophy on state affairs management and we have already met after the election,” Yoon said. “Ahn is willing to lead the presidential transition committee, and I also believe he is the right person.”

Regarding Rep. Kwon Young-se’s appointment, Yoon said, “Kwon has proven his competence and stable leadership on the campaign trail as an experienced politician. Together with Ahn, I believe Kwon will successfully lead the government transition.”

On the appointment of Won Hee-ryong as the planning chief, Yoon said, “As the policy chief for the People Power Party’s campaign, he has been planning campaign pledges in general. The job of the planning division is to effectively fulfill my campaign pledges and reflect them into the government’s policy tasks.”

Yoon said the transition committee will be comprised of seven standing subcommittees, including planning, foreign policy and national security, politics and judiciary administration, economy, industry, society and welfare, and science, technology and education. The committee will also include an advisory group for national unity and two special committees dedicated to the COVID-19 crisis and balanced regional growth.

Ahn will double as chairman of the COVID-19 special committee that will handle issues that include the compensation of small business owners.

#Yoon Suk-yeol #Ahn Cheol-soo #transition committee