President Lee Jae-myung decided on the 29th to retain Oh Yoo-kyung as the Minister of Food and Drug Safety. Appointed in May 2022 as the first Minister of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, Oh now continues to hold the position for over three years, extending the record for the longest-serving Minister in the agency's history.
This appointment is the second case of retention among the senior appointments made since the establishment of the Lee Jae-myung administration, following the continuous appointment of Minister Song Mi-ryung from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It is interpreted as a decision reflecting the principle of 'practical appointments' based on performance and expertise, even amid a significant cabinet reshuffle after the change of government.
Oh, a former professor at Seoul National University College of Pharmacy, is the first woman to serve as the dean in the 106-year history of the college. She has experience in research and development at companies such as Boryung and SK Chemicals and has worked as a researcher at Harvard Medical School and an examiner at the Korean Intellectual Property Office, being recognized as a pharmaceutical expert who understands both academia and practice.
During her tenure, Oh achieved notable results in regulatory innovation and global collaboration, including reducing new drug review times, establishing a fast track for innovative medical products, and gaining membership in the World Medicines Regulators Network (WLA).
Additionally, she secured practical policy results concerning safety management of items of public interest, such as obesity treatments, sexual aid products, and tattoo inks, as well as preventing misuse of medical narcotics. She has emphasized her philosophy that 'regulation is a means for public safety and industrial development,' and has worked to establish the role of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
The bio and pharmaceutical industries are positively evaluating Oh's retention. Companies poised for global expansion have consistently stated that the approval system and regulatory direction of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety must be predictable.
Typically, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is an area where there are no drastic changes in organizational restructuring or policy direction compared to other ministries. It coexists with the unique nature of a regulatory agency directly linked to public life and health, as well as an industrial policy related to the pharmaceutical and bio industries. In this regard, Oh's retention is interpreted as a practical judgment aimed at ensuring both policy continuity and administrative stability.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to continue pursuing major tasks such as refining the regulatory framework for next-generation technologies like digital healthcare and gene therapies, strengthening oversight in blind spots related to overseas direct purchases and social media distribution, and advancing the rapid review system for innovative medical devices.
Oh stated, 'I feel a great sense of responsibility regarding my retention. As the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is responsible for safety in the lives of the public, I will not let my guard down and will do my best to ensure the safety of food and drug for the citizens.'