Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
President replaces seven ministers
From left, President Moon Jae-in's picks for seven new ministers, Friday, are Chin-young for the Ministry of Interior and Safety, Park Young-sun for Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Park Yang-woo for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Kim Yeon-chul for the Ministry of Unification, Cho Dong-ho for the Ministry of Science and ICT, Choi Jeong-ho for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Moon Seong-hyeok for the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. / Yonhap
By Yi Whan-woo
By Yi Whan-woo
President Moon Jae-in nominated seven new ministers Friday ― the largest Cabinet shakeup since he took office in May 2017.
The move came amid public criticism toward his economic policies, and geopolitical uncertainty surrounding the Korean Peninsula after the summit between the leaders of North Korea and the United States ended without any agreement.
Moon will ask the National Assembly to hold confirmation hearings for the nominees soon.
Kim Yeon-chul, head of the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU), was named as the new unification minister.
Kim, 55, if confirmed by the Assembly, will replace Cho Myoung-gyon. Kim quit his job at KINU after being tapped as the nominee.
He has been outspoken about his belief that international sanctions against North Korea should be relaxed in order to encourage the country to denuclearize.
Kim recently served as an advisor on unification affairs for the presidential National Security Office (NSO) and was a member of the advisory committee preparing for the third summit between Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in September 2018.
Before joining KINU in August 2018, he worked as a professor at the Department of Korean Unification of Inje University (2010-2018) and as head of a peace institute affiliated with the left-leaning Hankyoreh newspaper (2008-2010).
Kim also has ties to the former administration of Roh Moo-hyun, having worked as a policy advisor to then-Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young and a member of the presidential committee on national planning.
He was also a chief researcher at the North Korean team of the Samsung Economic Research Institute between 1997 and 2002.
“Unification Minister nominee Kim holds great expertise and knowledge in inter-Korean economic cooperation and the North Korean nuclear issue as one of the few experts on inter-Korean relations with vast academic and practical experience,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said during a press briefing.
The spokesman also said Kim was “the right person” to realize Moon's vision of a new Korean Peninsula administration.
Unveiled March 1, this is aimed at building a joint community of peace and cooperation by pushing for the speedy implementation of inter-Korean declarations, as agreed by Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during their three summits last year.
Two four-term lawmakers from the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) ― Park Young-sun and Chin-young ― were tapped to lead the SMEs and startups and the interior and safety ministries, respectively.
Park will replace Hong Jong-haak and Chin will replace Kim Boo-kyum, who is also a DPK lawmaker.
Kim Boo-kyum is one of four lawmakers who became ministers in the Moon administration.
The three others are Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Kim Hyun-mee, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Kim Young-choon, and Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Do Jong-hwan.
Choi Jeong-ho, a former vice minister for land, infrastructure and transport, transportation, was tapped to replace Kim Hyun-mee.
Moon Seong-hyeok, a professor from World Maritime University, was nominated to succeed Kim Young-choon, and Park Yang-woo, a Chung-Ang University professor was named to replace Minister Do.
Cho Dong-ho, a professor from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), was tapped to replace You Young-min as science and ICT minister.
The four former ministers are expected to run in the 2020 parliamentary elections, according to the DPK.
Under the Election Law, a Cabinet member, regardless of their status as sitting lawmakers, cannot run in the general election.
The Cabinet reshuffle, Friday, was larger than the one carried out on Aug. 30, 2018, when the President named five nominees for ministerial jobs.
Meanwhile, three Cabinet members who were appointed by Moon in the first year of his presidency are remaining in their jobs.
They are Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Justice Minister Park Sang-ki and Health and Welfare Minister Park Neung-hoo.