President Lee Jae-myung carried out appointments for five Vice Ministers on the 26th. Former Army Missile Strategic Command Commander Lee Doo-hee was appointed as Vice Minister of National Defense, Social Welfare Policy Director Lee Seu-ran was appointed as first Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, National Institute of Environmental Research Director Geum Han-seung was appointed as Vice Minister of Environment, and Kwon Chang-jun, Deputy Minister for Planning and Coordination at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, was appointed as Vice Minister of Employment and Labor. Nam Dong-il, a permanent member of the Fair Trade Commission, was appointed as Vice Chairperson of Fair Trade Commission.
Presidential Office Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung announced these appointments during a briefing at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, that afternoon.
Vice Minister Lee Doo-hee has served as the commander of the 28th Infantry Division, the fire director of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, commander of the Army’s 1st Corps, and Director General for Policy Planning at the Ministry of National Defense.
Spokesperson Kang noted regarding Vice Minister Lee, “He is a defense expert with a broad experience in both field operations and policy departments,” adding that he possesses “gentle leadership and effective communication skills. I highly value his ability to carry out defense innovation integrating AI and advanced scientific technologies.”
Regarding Vice Minister Lee Seu-ran, it was noted that she is a “pension expert” and a talented individual who has demonstrated expertise in various fields. She is said to be the right person to implement the President’s governance philosophy of establishing a strong social safety net that protects each other in times of crisis, having served as the Director of Childcare Policy, Director of Pension Policy, and Director of Health Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare before her appointment.
Regarding Vice Minister Geum Han-seung, it was explained that he has “experience and expertise in overall environmental policy. He is a policy expert well-versed in policy trends and is the right person to effectively respond to environmental issues such as the climate crisis, based on his long experience and sense of mission.” Geum has worked in the Ministry of Environment for over 30 years, serving as the Director of Climate Carbon Policy, Director of Climate Change Policy, Director of the National Environmental Training Institute, and Deputy Secretary-General of the Carbon Neutrality Commission.
Vice Minister Kwon Chang-jun entered public service through the 40th Administrative Examination and has served as the Labor-Management Cooperation Policy Director at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Youth Employment Policy Director, and permanent member of the Gyeonggi Regional Labor Committee.
Spokesperson Kang stated, “Their proactive work style is a strength, initiating unprecedented interviews for labor environment improvement and forming a labor forum with youth participation, which will contribute to resolving social conflicts and enhancing the specialization of employment labor administration for job creation.”
Continuing on Vice Chairman Nam Dong-il, spokesperson Kang remarked, “As a representative policy expert at the Fair Trade Commission, he embodies leadership for integration. His experience as a spokesperson has enhanced his internal and external communication capabilities.” Kang further noted that Nam is the right person to establish a fair trade order aligned with the platform economy era by realizing fair economy.
Spokesperson Kang emphasized, “Today’s appointments were filled with individuals responsible for the detailed tasks of the Lee Jae-myung administration, such as defense reform, expanding the social safety net, responding to climate change, and strengthening labor rights, while working organically with the ministers of each department.” Kang added, “The Lee Jae-myung administration will continue to place experts in appropriate roles to create a working government.”