Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Bae Hyun-jin named new spokesperson for president-elect
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's new spokesperson Rep. Bae Hyun-jin of the main opposition People Power Party speaks during a press briefing at the transition committee's office in Seoul, Monday. Joint Press Corps
By Lee Hae-rin
By Lee Hae-rin
News anchor-turned-lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin of the People Power Party (PPP) was named as the new spokesperson for President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, Tuesday, replacing Kim Eun-hye who decided to run for Gyeonggi Province governor in the local elections in June.
“This will be my last briefing as the president-elect's spokesperson,” Kim said during a press briefing at the transition committee's office in Seoul, Tuesday. Kim has been Yoon's spokesperson since March 11.
When asked to confirm if she will run in the election, Kim said, “I believe it is not appropriate for me to mention my personal affairs at an important time like this, where we're setting the national agendas for the incoming administration.”
Kim said she will make an official statement about her future candidacy sooner or later and introduced Rep. Bae as her successor.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Tuesday, Kim decided to run for governor of Gyeonggi Province and resigned as the spokesperson on Monday.
Bae said during the press briefing, “I will do my utmost to share the dynamics of communications, which has been the key value of the president-elect.”
Bae, 39, is a former evening news anchor at local broadcaster MBC and started her political career by joining the Liberty Korea Party in March 2018. She is a first-time lawmaker who won in Songpa District of southern Seoul in May 2020.
Previously Bae served as the PPP's floor spokesperson from May 2020 and was elected to the party's Supreme Council last year.
Hyundai Research Center surveyed 1,208 voters last July and found that Bae ranked second among young politicians with the public having high hopes and expectations of her.