Yoon replaces industry minister in Cabinet reshuffle

Dec 18, 2023, 09:36 am

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Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun speaks to reporters at the presidential office in Seoul on Dec. 17, 2023, after being nominated as South Korea’s new industry minister./ Source: Yonhap News

By AsiaToday reporter Park Ji-eun

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday nominated Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun as the new Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy. Ahn’s appointment comes just three months after incumbent minister Bang Moon-kyu assumed the post in September. Bang is widely expected to run in the general elections in April.

“Ahn is an expert in international trade with expertise in both theory and practice, and shows great competence in responding successfully to various trade issues as the current trade minister,” presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki said in a briefing. “We expect the nominee to accelerate the promotion of exports, as well as fostering key strategic industries and innovating industrial regulations, to revitalize our economy and lead the expansion of our economic horizons with verified skills and expansive networks at home and abroad,” he added.

Born in 1968, Ahn earned his bachelor’s degree in international economics at Seoul National University, and earned a doctoral degree at the University of Michigan. He served as a professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Seoul National University. He served as the Yoon Suk-yeol government’s first trade minister, focusing on diversifying South Korea’s supply chains amid key trade partners’ protectionism policies, such as the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

The list of cabinet reshuffle on Sunday did not include appointment of new diplomatic and security officials or justice minister. Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon, is emerging as a possible interim leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) in the race for the general elections next year. The PPP plans to hold a meeting of nearly 200 floor leaders and external party cooperation chairmen on Monday to discuss candidates for the party’s emergency committee. Many of the party’s external cooperation chairmen are expected to recommend Han as the emergency committee chairman.

“The ruling party is collecting various opinions (on the reshuffle of justice minister), and we should take a look at it. It is difficult to say whether to do it or not,” a high-ranking official from the presidential office said.

Meanwhile, President Yoon replaced 6 Cabinet ministers, including finance minister, early this month, and is expected to carry out additional cabinet reshuffle as early as next week.

#cabinet reshuffle #industry minister #Ahn Duk-geun