Yoon nominates 8 Cabinet ministers

Apr 11, 2022, 07:19 am

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President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol announces the first eight minister nominees for his incoming Cabinet during a press briefing at the presidential transition committee headquarters in Seoul on April 10, 2022./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Lee Wook-jae

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol named eight Cabinet ministers on Sunday in the first batch of nominations, including Rep. Choo Kyung-ho of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) as next deputy prime minister and finance minister, Seoul National University’s semiconductor research institute chief Lee Jong-ho as science minister, former Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Vice Chairman Lee Jong-sup as defense minister, and former vice president of JoongAng Ilbo newspaper Park Bo-gyoon as culture minister.

Lee Chang-yang, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), was named industry minister, and Chung Ho-young, former chief of Kyungpook National University Hospital, was named health minister. Former lawmaker Kim Hyun-sook was named minister of gender equality and family and former Jeju Governor Won Hee-ryong land minister.

He announced the nominees during a press briefing at the presidential transition committee headquarters in Seoul.

Regarding financial-bureaucrat-turned-lawmaker Choo Kyung-ho, Yoon said, “Choo served as the first vice finance minister and chief of the government policy coordination office. He has been highly praised for his ability to plan and coordinate on national issues. I expect him to establish the foundation for the Korean economy to take another leap forward and enable smooth communication with the National Assembly,” he added.

Regarding chip engineering scholar Lee Jong-ho’s nomination as the new science minster, Yoon said Lee is a renowned chip expert who was the first to develop bulk FinFET, which is now standard technology for major semiconductor companies across the world. “Based on his long experience in the field of research, we expect Lee to improve the R&D sector and lead the development of cutting-edge technology that will serve as the foundation for dynamic, innovative growth,” Yoon said.

On retired three-star general Lee Jong-sup’s nomination as the new defense minister, Yoon said Lee has been recognized for his outstanding expertise in military operations and in the field of defense planning. “Lee contributed greatly to the South Korea-US security alliance while serving as a Combined Defense Transformation Group under the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” Yoon said. “I believe he will closely coordinate with allies while establishing strong national security and powerful defense capabilities,” he added.

Regarding former journalist Park Bo-gyoon’s appointment as the new culture minister, Yoon said, “I expect Park will have active communication with the media. He will play a huge role in promoting Korean culture and solving the regulation of culture businesses.”

On the appointment of bureaucrat-turned-KAIST professor Lee Chang-yang as the new industry minister, Yoon said, “With a deep knowledge and vast hands-on experience, Lee is the right person to map out a breakthrough in domestic industry and overcome the slow economic growth of Korea.”

On former hospital director Chung Ho-yong’s appointment as the new health minister, Yoon said, “Chung was in charge of a major hospital in the southeastern city of Daegu, where the country saw the very first major outbreak of COVID-19, and established the operating system so that the treatment of severe COVID-19 patients and other severely-ill patients can be carried out without a gap.”

Regarding Kim Hyun-sook’s nomination as the new minister of gender equality and family, Yoon said Kim crafted family policy including childcare support policy without blind spots during his campaign. “As she has drawn the outlines of the pledges from the beginning, I believe she will focus on population measures and family measures while faithfully fulfilling the pledges,” Yoon said.

On the appointment of ex-Jeju Gov. Woo Hee-ryong as Yoon’s first land minister, the president-elect said, “Won served as a three-term member of the National Assembly. While serving as Jeju governor for two terms, he carried out innovative administration such as introducing the idea of making Jeju Island smart and eco-friend city.” Yoon added, ”The nominee has crafted major policies and pledges during the campaign. In particular, he has a high understanding of real estate policy, which is one of the key sectors the new administration would have to work on to stabilize the real estate market, promote balanced regional growth and come up with a systematic public transportation in metropolitan areas.”

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