I am an editorial writer at The Korea Times, focusing on foreign policy, North Korea and domestic politics. My key areas of interest include North Korea, foreign interference in elections, election integrity, cyberattacks and human rights. Prior to joining the Editorial Board, I served as both Politics Desk editor and Culture Desk editor. During my career, I have reported on the Presidential Office under the Lee Myung-bak administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Assembly.
Most emphasis placed on experience
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Seo Nam-soo Education Minister nominee
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Yoo Jeong-bok Security/Public Adm. Minister nominee
Yoo Jin-ryong Culture Minister nominee
Hwang Kyo-ahn Justice Minister nominee
Lee Chul-soon, a professor of political science at Pusan National University, said Wednesday that Park’s nominations for foreign affairs and defense ministers reflect her preference for experience when making senior appointments.
The President-elect named Yun Byung-se and Kim Byung-kwan to the respective posts.
“Park appears to prioritize smooth-sailing. The lineup of experienced bureaucrats for the key posts in foreign policy and security shows that reforms in government are secondary at the moment,” observed the political scientist.
Lee said they needed to be strategists who could draw the big picture for peace and security for the future.
“I think that in the foreign policy and security team, we need to have at least one person who is an avid observer of dynamic geopolitics in Northeast Asia so that he or she can serve as an architect of a grand strategy to better prepare for the nation’s future,” Lee said.
Yun joined Park’s camp as a foreign policy advisor and was then called upon to join the presidential transition team after she won the December presidential election.
Park unveiled the foreign policy and security team a day after North Korea conducted a third nuclear test; but significantly didn’t designate a unification minister.
Her emphasis on experience was evident regarding other appointments including Uiduk University President Seo Nam-soo, a career bureaucrat, and ex-prosecutor Hwang Kyo-ahn for education and justice ministers, respectively.
Her close confidant Yoo Jeong-bok a three-term lawmaker of the ruling Saenuri Party, was named administration and public security ministry; while Yoo Jin-ryong, the culture minister nominee, has worked at the ministry for more than 20 years.
The nominations came earlier than expected. Earlier, the presidential transition team announced that Park would unveil the list of nominees for senior presidential secretaries as well as the presidential chief of staff.