President Moon's Ministerial Appointments... Park Beom-gye for Ministry of Justice, Han Jeong-ae for Ministry of Environment, Hwang Ki-chul for Veterans Affairs (Update)

Successor to Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae is Judge-turned-Democrat Lawmaker Park Beom-gye... Appointment of Ruling Party Politicians Including Lawmaker Han Jeong-ae

[Asia Economy reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Son Seon-hee] President Moon Jae-in has nominated Park Beom-gye, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, as the successor to Justice Minister Chu Mi-ae. Han Jeong-ae, a Democratic Party lawmaker, has been nominated as Minister of Environment, and Hwang Gi-cheol, former Chief of Naval Operations, as Commissioner of the National Veterans Affairs Office.

Jung Man-ho, Senior Secretary for Public Communication at the Blue House, stated on the 30th, "President Moon Jae-in has made ministerial-level appointments for three ministries today," adding, "Park Beom-gye, member of the National Assembly, has been nominated as Minister of Justice; Han Jeong-ae, member of the National Assembly, as Minister of Environment; and Hwang Gi-cheol, former Chief of Naval Operations, as Commissioner of the National Veterans Affairs Office."

Park Beom-gye, the nominee for Minister of Justice, is a three-term lawmaker and former judge who served as the secretary of the 20th Special Committee on Judicial Reform and chairman of the Democratic Party’s Committee for the Eradication of Deep-rooted Evils. Senior Secretary Jung said, "Based on his insight and legal expertise accumulated through activities in the judiciary, government, and National Assembly, as well as his strong will and reform mindset, he is expected to complete prosecution and justice reforms and realize a fair society centered on human rights and the livelihood of the people."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Han Jeong-ae, the nominee for Minister of Environment, is a three-term lawmaker and former labor activist. She previously served as the chair of the Democratic Party’s Policy Committee and is recognized for her integrated perspective on policies and balanced coordination skills.

Senior Secretary Jung said, "In particular, she has been highly regarded for her deep understanding of environmental policies through her roles as secretary of the Environment and Labor Committee and co-chair of the National Assembly Climate Change Forum," adding, "With her outstanding expertise and ability to drive work forward, she is expected to focus on implementing the ‘2050 Long-term Low Carbon Development Strategy’ to address the urgent climate crisis, establish an integrated water management system, reduce fine dust, and achieve visible results in key policy tasks such as efficient waste treatment and recycling."

Hwang Gi-cheol, the new Commissioner of the National Veterans Affairs Office, is a former Chief of Naval Operations who has held key operational positions including Commander of the 2nd Fleet and Commander of Naval Operations. Senior Secretary Jung said, "He is especially recognized for successfully leading the Aden Bay Dawn operation and contributing to the establishment of a veterans support culture, including support for navy dependents and compensation for victims of Agent Orange."

Senior Secretary Jung added, "With his outstanding leadership, understanding of veterans policies, strong sense of duty as a military officer, and strong drive, he is expected to successfully complete veterans innovation tasks such as providing appropriate and responsible support for sacrifices and dedication to the nation, and contributing to national unity through balance among the three major areas of independence, national defense, and democracy."

Meanwhile, the nominees for Minister of Justice and Minister of Environment will be appointed after undergoing confirmation hearings in the National Assembly as members of the State Council. The Commissioner of the National Veterans Affairs Office is scheduled to be appointed as of the 31st.

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