President Lee Jae-myung nominated former Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination Koo Yun-cheol as the candidate for Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance on 29th. Candidate Koo is a veteran bureaucrat who has served as 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Director of the Budget Office, and Director of the Policy Coordination Bureau, and will oversee overall economic policy as the first Chief Economic Officer of the Lee Jae-myung government. Jeong Seong-ho, a five-term member of the Democratic Party of Korea and a cohort of President Lee's from the Judicial Research and Training Institute (18th term), was nominated as Minister of Justice to lead judicial and prosecution reforms, while Yoon Ho-jung, also a five-term member of the Democratic Party, was nominated as the candidate for Minister of the Interior and Safety, overseeing the restructuring of police investigations.
◇A budget expert seasoned in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, with an emphasis on 'stability'
Candidate Koo is a representative budget expert who has held key positions in the Ministry of Economy and Finance during the Moon Jae-in administration. He is a seasoned individual within the government, having previously served as an administrative officer (level 3) in the President's Office, as Secretary for Human Resources in the Office of Personnel Affairs, and as Director of the President's Office. He was dispatched as a senior consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) during the Lee Myung-bak administration. He has been recognized within the organization, having been named 'the superior one to be admired' by the labor union of the Ministry of Economy and Finance for three consecutive years. During the Democratic Party's presidential primary, he chaired the Fiscal and Tax Committee of the 'Growth and Integration' think tank that was founded to support Lee Jae-myung. In the search for a control tower to address 'economic growth,' which President Lee identified as a top priority, it is said that he identified bureaucratic officials with a higher understanding of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and stability over political figures from an early stage.
◇'Candid advice even for the President'… Jeong Seong-ho, holding the knife of prosecution reform
Candidate Jeong Seong-ho is a member of the so-called original pro-Lee faction known as the Seven People. He has been supporting 'the non-mainstream politician Lee Jae-myung' since Lee first challenged for the presidency in 2017. In this election, he served as the head of the Talent Committee for the election campaign and participated in sketching out the lineup for the new government cabinet and Presidential Office. He has built a trustful relationship such that he freely conveyed 'candid advice' that might discomfort the intense supporter base during Lee Jae-myung's leadership. For this reason, he has also faced attacks from the new Lee Jae-myung faction emphasizing clarity or from the strong supporter base. He has deep trust in the region, having been elected five terms in Dongducheon City, Yangju City, and Yeoncheon County, areas known for their strong conservative sentiments.
Yoon Ho-jung, who has served five terms in the city of Guri in Gyeonggi Province, oversaw President Lee's election campaign and served as the head of the campaign's central planning committee during the main election. The Presidential Office is also considering a plan to separate the role of social deputy minister, currently held by the Minister of Education, and assign it to the Minister of the Interior and Safety. The Presidential Committee on Policy Planning, akin to a transition committee, is developing a proposal related to this government reorganization. Kang Hoon, the secretary to the President, noted, 'There has been no final confirmation or finalized plan for the reorganization yet, and it is an issue being discussed by the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning.'
The Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance's role is also linked to organizational restructuring. During the election campaign, President Lee stated, 'The Ministry of Economy and Finance acts like a king in the executive branch,' and emphasized that a major reorganization was necessary. The main point is the separation of budget authority. The budget authority of the Ministry of Economy and Finance is to be transferred under the President's Office or the Prime Minister's Office, and a bill regarding this has already been proposed with the names of ruling party lawmakers. This decision is based on the belief that the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which holds the authority over budget drafting, has been ruling over other departments. Once the organizational restructuring is confirmed, an additional minister-level official who will oversee budget operations may also be appointed.
◇Despite the controversy over 'holding coronavirus stocks while directing handling of the pandemic'
Candidate Jeong Eun-kyeong, the Minister of Health and Welfare candidate, has been embroiled in controversy over her spouse's 'holdings of coronavirus-related stocks,' but was included in the first cabinet. According to the Presidential Office, Candidate Jeong was selected through a 'public recommendation system.' It was said that her contributions to reassuring the public with appropriate responses during the COVID-19 pandemic were acknowledged. Secretary Kang noted, 'I understand that the candidate will provide explanations in accordance with the procedures of the National Assembly's personnel hearing,' adding that 'the President respects the public's judgment regarding various allegations raised against the candidate, and I believe a majority of the public will find it reasonable after watching the hearing.'
◇Former prosecutor Bong Wook, new civil affairs secretary, and Kim Jeong-gwan, a corporate executive from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
President Lee on this day appointed Kim Jeong-gwan, president of Doosan Enerbility, as Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Lee Jin-sook, former president of Chungnam National University, as Minister of Education, and Jeong Eun-kyeong, former head of the Disease Control Headquarters, as Minister of Health and Welfare. Bong Wook, a former Deputy Chief Prosecutor, has been appointed as the Chief Secretary for Civil Affairs in the Presidential Office after re-verification due to the allegations regarding real estate and loans under the name of attorney Oh Kwang-soo and his resignation. It seems that President Lee's intention that 'the person who knows the prosecution best should take the reins' is reflected in the appointment of this key figure to lead the justice reform, a crucial task for the Lee Jae-myung administration.
The newly established position of Chief Secretary for Listening and Integration in the Presidential Office has been filled by Jeon Seong-hwan, the former chief secretary of the Sejong Special Autonomous City Education Office. Secretary Kang stated, 'As a person who has played various roles such as a civic activist, head of a public institution, and local official, he has reflected the low and small voices of our society in policies, and we expect him to fulfill the role of listening and integration to unite the people.' The Chief Secretary for Listening and Integration is responsible for communication with civic organizations, a role previously held by the Chief Secretary for Civil Society in the former Yoon Suk-yeol administration. In the Moon Jae-in administration, related functions were managed by the Deputy Secretary for Decentralization and the Deputy Secretary for Social Integration under the National Planning Situation Office.