Ex-lawmaker named to lead broadcasting watchdog

By Kim Tae-gyu

President Park Geun-hye nominated former four-term lawmaker Lee Kyeong-jae, 72, as Korea Communications Commission (KCC) chief, whose rank is equivalent to minister, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.

She also named eight new vice minister-level officials in the finance, science and defense ministries of whose heads were officially appointed recently due to a political tug-of-war in her new Cabinet.

Originally from Incheon, Lee graduated from Seoul National University and started his career at a Koreanlanguage newspaper. He later turned to politics to become a close aide of President Park.

Park tapped Financial Services Commission (FSC) Vice Chairman Choo Kyung-ho, 53, as the first vice finance minister and promoted its budget office head Lee Suk-joon, 54, to the second vice finance minister.

The two No. 2 posts of the newly-established Ministry of Future Planning and Science will be assumed by Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies head Lee Sang-mok, 58, and Prof. Yoon Jong-lok, 56, of Yonsei University.

Korea Institute for Defense Analyses senior researcher Baek Seung-joo, 52, will become the second- in-command of the Defense Ministry. He was a member of the transition team.

President Park also appointed the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute head Son Jae-hak, 52, as the vice maritime affairs minister and Korea Institute of Finance vice chief Chung Chan-woo, 50, as FSC vice chairman.