New Blue House PR Line 'Like Park Su-hyun'

Spokespersons: Former Journalist Kang Min-seok, Chunchoogwan Director Han Jeong-woo... Roles in Presidential Messaging, Media Communication, and Policy Promotion

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Jeong-min] The Blue House appointed Kang Min-seok, former deputy editor of JoongAng Ilbo, to fill the vacancy left by former Blue House spokesperson Ko Min-jung's candidacy in the general election. Han Jeong-woo, former deputy spokesperson who has closely assisted President Moon Jae-in since his Yeouido political days, was selected as the Blue House Chuncheon-gwan chief, a secretary-level position.

The Blue House has thus resolved the situation where both the spokesperson and Chuncheon-gwan chief positions were vacant during a critical time when media strategy is important amid the novel coronavirus (Wuhan pneumonia) outbreak. A senior Blue House official explained, "We plan to appoint one more deputy spokesperson," adding, "Whether to have two deputy spokespersons will depend on the situation and if a suitable candidate is found, we will have two."

President Moon Jae-in declared this year would be one of producing national achievements under the keyword 'definite change.' To convey policy achievements to the public, the role of the Blue House media promotion line inevitably grows. Spokesperson Kang is a figure whose expertise in politics has been verified, having served as the political desk chief at JoongAng Ilbo. During his time as a party correspondent, he is known to have built close ties with key pro-Roh (pro-Roh Moo-hyun) figures such as former Gangwon Governor Lee Kwang-jae and former Chungnam Governor Ahn Hee-jung.

Cheong Wa Dae / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

Although the Blue House emphasized that the appointment was based on ability, controversy continues over whether it is appropriate to appoint a person who was a journalist until a few days ago as the president's 'mouthpiece.' Questions about journalists' political neutrality have led to backlash from members of the respective media outlet. A senior Blue House official clarified, "JoongAng Ilbo is JoongAng Ilbo, and Kang Min-seok is Kang Min-seok; we recognize his individual ability and that is why he was appointed."

Attention is focused on the 'Park Soo-hyun model' regarding Kang's role. Former spokesperson Park Soo-hyun, a former member of the National Assembly, served as a bridge between the Blue House and the media based on his broad political experience. The Blue House spokesperson's role goes beyond 'broadcast-ready lines' to conveying the underlying meaning related to the president's intentions.

This requires not only political expertise but also political sensibility. Former spokesperson Park received high marks in this regard. While Kang is well-versed in the mechanisms of Yeouido politics, questions remain about his practical skills due to lack of public office experience.

Han Jeong-woo, the Chuncheon-gwan chief, is considered well-suited for the position that requires daily interaction with Blue House correspondents, as he has experience as a Blue House deputy spokesperson. He was in charge of public relations when President Moon was a member of the National Assembly. Han said, "The belief I hold is that 'a steadfast person moves mountains,' and I want to show through my work that this belief is not wrong."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.