Former presidential secretary tapped as unification minister
From left are Cho Myoung-gyon, You Young-min, Kim Yung-rok, Chung Hyun-back / Yonhap
Moon also picks ICT, agriculture, gender ministers
By Kim Rahn
President Moon Jae-in nominated four ministers Tuesday including the unification minister who will take charge of his inter-Korean policies.
Cho Myoung-gyon, a former unification ministry official, was tapped to lead the ministry.
“The former career official has expertise in inter-Korean summits and North Korean strategies,” presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun said.
Cho has a deep understanding of the new government’s North Korea policy and a wide experience from policy planning to inter-Korean exchanges and negotiations, Park said. “We expect him to carry out the ministry’s major tasks including seeking denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and setting up a basic direction for inter-Korean relations.”
The 60-year-old Cho studied statistics at Sungkyunkwan University and obtained a master’s degree in public administration from Seoul National University.
After holding various posts at the ministry including ones supporting the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, he served as secretary for unification and security under former President Roh Moo-hyun and participated in the 2007 inter-Korean summit with then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
For the minister of science, ICT and future planning, Moon picked You Young-min, a former CEO of the POSCO Research Institute.
You, 66, studied mathematics at Pusan National University. He was a vice president at LG CNS, head of the Korea Data Agency, and chief of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency.
“Starting his career as a software developer, he has abundant experience in the ICT field. He also demonstrated leadership while leading companies and research centers,” Park said. “You is the perfect pick to achieve the government’s goal to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and innovate the state’s support system for R&D and scientific technologies.”
Former lawmaker Kim Yung-rok was named minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. Kim, 62, was head of Wando County in South Jeolla Province and vice governor of the provincial government. He also held posts at the Ministry of the Interior, and was a two-term lawmaker from 2008 to 2016. Kim obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public administration from Konkuk University, and a master’s degree in public administration from Syracuse University.
“He has wide experience in central and regional administrations. Kim also understands the tasks of the ministry well as he belonged to the National Assembly Agriculture Committee for six years,” Park said. “We believe he can solve pending issues including avian flu, foot-and-mouth disease and the ongoing drought, and boost the competitiveness of the nation’s agriculture and livestock industries.”
Sunkyunkwan University history professor Chung Hyun-back was tapped to be minister of gender equality and family.
Chung, 64, studied history at Seoul National University and earned her Ph.D. in modern German history at Ruhr University Bochum. She was a co-head of the Korea Women’s Association United and the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, and chief of the Korean History Education Society.
“She has been engaged in civic activities for gender equality and women and labor issues, and is a recognized historian,” Park said.
Moon also named four vice minister-level officials.
Lee In-ho, an official at the trade, industry and energy ministry, was promoted to be first vice minister; while Kim Hyun-soo, an official at the agriculture, food and rural affairs, was tapped to be vice minister.
Korea Foundation for Women director Lee Sook-jin was named vice minister of gender equality and family. Ko Sam-seog, a former standing commissioner at the Korea Communications Commission, was reappointed to the post.