Park appoints ex-journalist as presidential spokesman

By Kang Seung-woo

Jeong Yeon-guk

President Park Geun-hye has appointed Jeong Yeon-guk, a former journalist, as presidential spokesman, Cheong Wa Dae announced Sunday.

The post had been vacant for 20 days since former spokesman Min Kyung-wook quit on Oct. 5 to run in next year’s general election.

Jeong, 54, a former reporter at Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. (MBC), hosted a popular program “100 Minute Debate” and was, until recently, head of the department managing current affairs programs.

“I don’t know much, but I’ll try to learn things as quickly as I can,” he told reporters.

The President also appointed Yook Dong-in, a spokesman for the Financial Services Commission (FSC), as chief of the presidential press center, also known as “Chunchugwan.”

Yook’s predecessor, Jun Kwang-sam, also stepped down last month to prepare for the general election, scheduled for April 13, 2016.

Yook, 53, was once a journalist at the Korea Economic Daily.