Ex-presidential aide to head KITA

Kim In-ho KITA chairman

By Park Jin-hai

A life-long economic policymaker has been named as the new head of the Korea International Trade

Association (KITA).

Kim In-ho, 73, was selected as KITA’s new chairman during a council meeting of member companies, the association said Tuesday.

He received unanimous support from 14 leaders who were present at the meeting; KITA has 24 members.

The association will hold a board meeting on Feb. 26 to endorse his nomination. He will head the association over the next three years, succeeding outgoing chairman Han Duck-soo.

Born in Miryang, Kim graduated from the Seoul National University School of Law.

He started his career at the then Economic Planning Board, the predecessor of the current Ministry of Strategy and Finance, in 1967 and later served in major policymaking posts.

Kim headed the Fair Trade Commission before working as a senior presidential secretary for economic affairs in 1997 under former President Kim Young-sam. He has been leading a private economic think tank since 2008.

Kim had been cited as a strong candidate for KITA’s top post along with Yoon Jin-shik, a two-term lawmaker and close economic aide to former President Lee Myung-bak.

KITA is one of the country’s five major business lobby groups that include the Federation of Korean Industries and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.