President-elect Park Geun-hye on Monday named Rep. Yoo Il-ho of the ruling Saenuri Party as her chief secretary in her first appointment since being elected South Korea's first woman president in the Dec. 19 election, her aide said.
The 57-year-old Yoo, a two-term lawmaker, had long served as a researcher at state-run economic policy think tanks before being elected to parliament in a southern Seoul district in 2008. He studied economics at Seoul National University and taught at two U.S. universities -- University of Pennsylvania and Cleveland State University -- in the 1980s.
Park also appointed conservative columnist Yoon Chang-jung as her chief spokesman, according to Rep. Lee Jung-hyun, the communications director for the incoming president.
Yoon, a former editorial writer of the conservative Munhwa Ilbo, currently operates a political affairs blog on the Internet.
Rep. Lee also said that Park has named former vice culture minister Park Sun-kyoo and former ruling party lawmaker Cho Yoon-sun as her spokesman and spokeswoman. Both have worked as spokespersons under the president-elect during the presidential campaign.
The appointments signal the start of efforts by the 60-year-old politician to set up a presidential transition team in preparation for her inauguration as president on Feb. 25.
Sources in the ruling Saenuri Party said other appointments such as the chairman and senior officials of the transition team are expected to be announced within the week. (Yonhap)
The 57-year-old Yoo, a two-term lawmaker, had long served as a researcher at state-run economic policy think tanks before being elected to parliament in a southern Seoul district in 2008. He studied economics at Seoul National University and taught at two U.S. universities -- University of Pennsylvania and Cleveland State University -- in the 1980s.
Park also appointed conservative columnist Yoon Chang-jung as her chief spokesman, according to Rep. Lee Jung-hyun, the communications director for the incoming president.
Yoon, a former editorial writer of the conservative Munhwa Ilbo, currently operates a political affairs blog on the Internet.
Rep. Lee also said that Park has named former vice culture minister Park Sun-kyoo and former ruling party lawmaker Cho Yoon-sun as her spokesman and spokeswoman. Both have worked as spokespersons under the president-elect during the presidential campaign.
The appointments signal the start of efforts by the 60-year-old politician to set up a presidential transition team in preparation for her inauguration as president on Feb. 25.
Sources in the ruling Saenuri Party said other appointments such as the chairman and senior officials of the transition team are expected to be announced within the week. (Yonhap)
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