26 Top Ministerial Officials Named

President Lee Myung-bak named 26 ministerial and vice-ministerial level officials for the 15 ministries and the prime minister’s office. Cho Jung-pyo, vice-minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Choi Joong-kyung, director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), were appointed, respectively, to be the prime minister’s chief secretary and vice-minister of Strategy and Finance.

Bae Gook-hwan, strategic finance planning officer for the Strategy and Finance Ministry, was tapped to be vice-minister of Strategy and Finance. Woo Hyung-sik, director of the Education Ministry’s university bureau, will be vice-minister of Education, Science and Technology. Park Jong-koo, head of the Education Ministry’s Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters, will also be vice-minister of Education, Science and Technology. Kwon Jong-rak, President Lee Myung-bak’s foreign affairs adviser during his presidential campaign, will be vice-minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Kim Sung-hwan, ambassador to Austria, will also serve as vice-minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Hong Yang-ho, a senior delegate of the Inter-Korean Dialogue Headquarters, was selected to be vice-minister of Unification. Moon Sung-woo, chief of the Justice Ministry’s Prosecution Bureau, will be vice-minister of Justice. Kim Jong-chun, former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s strategy planning headquarters, will be vice-minister of Defense. Kim Young-ho, deputy chief of the Civil Service Commission, will be vice-minister of Administration and Security. Jeong Nam-joon, head of the Government Administration and Home Affairs Ministry’s National Competitiveness Bureau, will also serve as vice-minister of Administration and Security.

Kim Jang-sil, senior officer of the Culture and Tourism Ministry, was chosen as vice-minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Shin Jae-min, President Lee’s political affairs and planning advisor during the presidential campaign, will also be vice-minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Jung Hak-su, a senior policy promotion officer at the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, will be vice-minister of Agriculture, Fishery and Food. Park Duk-bae, president of the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, will also be vice minister of Agriculture, Fishery and Food.

Lim Chae-min, senior policy coordination officer of the Presidential Commission on Small and Medium Enterprise, was appointed vice-minister of Knowledge Economy. Lee Jae-hoon, vice-minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy, will also be vice-minister of Knowledge Economy. Lee Bong-hwa, a member of the society and culture division of the presidential transition committee, will be vice-minister of Health, Welfare and Family. Lee Byung-wook, professor at Sejong University, will become vice-minister of Environment.

Jung Jong-soo, chief of the Labor Ministry’s Public Relations Bureau, was named vice-minister of Labor; Lee In-sik, chief of the Gender Equality and Family Ministry’s Public Relations Bureau, will become vice-minister of Gender Equality; Kwon Do-youp, CEO of Korea Expressway Corporation, will be vice-minister of Homeland and Maritime Affairs.

In the case of vice-ministerial level officials in the prime minister’s office, Park Chul-gon, senior planning and management officer of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, was appointed as deputy-general manager and Kim Young-chul, director of the Korea Energy Management Corporation, to be the deputy head.

Presidential spokesman Lee Dong-gwan told the press, “The appointments were made based on the candidates’ competence and experience so that they can live up to the new government’s pragmatic spirit. With a focus on minimizing frustrations with government bureaucracy, the new administration also selected incumbent government officials or former senior government officials.”

Spokesman Lee added that the appointments were made after consulting with the minister nominees of each ministry to emphasize teamwork. He noted that the new government rejected the tradition of appointing inexperienced officials based on regionalism or educational backgrounds.

swpark@donga.com