Veteran bureaucrat with maritime expertise tapped as oceans minister

Oceans Minister nominee Cho Seung-hwan / Yonhap

Cho Seung-hwan, the nominee for Korea's new oceans minister, is a veteran bureaucrat who has built a variety of expertise in the maritime field.

The former head of the Korea Institute of Marine Science and Technology Promotion (KIMST) graduated from Korea University in Seoul in 1990 and started his career as a civil servant after passing the state exam the same year.

Born in the southern port city of Busan, the 56-year-old has held major positions at the oceans ministry since 2003 and served as the head of Busan Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries in 2016.

While serving as the chief of KIMST from 2018 to 2021, Cho led efforts to support research and development in the maritime fields and various related projects, including the development of smart maritime farming.

Based on his 27-year-long career in public service, Cho is expected to respond to global maritime challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and its technological transformation. (Yonhap)