President Lee Myung-bak on Wednesday named a seasoned former technocrat his new vice minister for special affairs and tapped his science and technology secretary as a standing member of a state commission overseeing the country's science and technology policies.
The new vice minister, Cho Yoon-myoung, 57, is an expert in administrative affairs. He passed the high civil service exam in 1980 and has since served in key posts, mostly in the home affairs ministry, and as administrative vice governor of South Gyeongsang Province.
The presidential office said Cho was chosen for the post because of his rich administrative experience and organizational management capabilities. The job of special affairs minister is similar to that of a minister-at-large undertaking special missions given by the president.
Lee also named presidential science and technology secretary Lim Ki-chul as one of the two standing commissioners at the National Science and Technology Commission, Korea's top policy-making body on science and technology. The post is a vice minister-level job. (Yonhap)