This Time, a Clash Over Routine Functions... Yeohangu and Yoon Seongdeok's '15-Year Persistent Connection'

Conflict over 2008 'Han-EU FTA' Negotiations
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Engages in Power Game for Trade Control, Expecting Influence from Yoon Government Insiders

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] Amid the tug-of-war between the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the position of 'main department for trade policy' in the next government, the 15-year-long bitter rivalry between Yeohangu, Director-General for Trade Negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Yoon Seongdeok, Economic Diplomacy Coordinator at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has become a hot topic in government circles. Coordinator Yoon is a key figure actively advocating the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' argument to reclaim the trade functions lost to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2013, ahead of the new government's inauguration.

According to government sources on the 18th, Director-General Ye and Coordinator Yoon first clashed over detailed negotiation issues while jointly participating in the Korea-European Union (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations in 2008.

At that time, Coordinator Yoon served as the head of the FTA negotiation division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (now Ministry of Foreign Affairs) from May 2007 to December 2008, leading the Korea-EU FTA negotiations. He was responsible for coordinating inter-ministerial differences and overseeing cross-departmental practical matters. Director-General Ye participated in the negotiations as the FTA team leader of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy (now Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy).

A former Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said, "Director-General Ye strongly asserted the Ministry of Knowledge Economy's position at the negotiation table, which caused significant conflicts with Coordinator Yoon. From that time, their relationship became very strained," adding, "It is widely known that their relationship has been poor, and now they are clashing again over trade functions. It's quite a persistent rivalry."

Although Coordinator Yoon is senior in terms of civil service exam rank, Director-General Ye has been promoted faster. Coordinator Yoon entered public service three years earlier, passing the 23rd Foreign Service Exam in 1989, while Director-General Ye passed the 36th Administrative Service Exam in 1992. However, Director-General Ye was appointed in August last year as Director-General for Trade Negotiations, a position internally equivalent to vice minister and externally ministerial level, which is higher than Coordinator Yoon's rank as a Grade 1 (Senior Executive Service A, Director level) official.

Coordinator Yoon is also the older brother of former People Power Party lawmaker Yoon Heesook. Former lawmaker Yoon was the first politician President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol met when entering politics last year and is expected to play an important role in the new government. Kim Seonghan, former 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Secretary-General of the 20th Presidential Transition Committee's Foreign Affairs and Security Division, advocates transferring trade functions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is an elementary school classmate of President-elect Yoon.

For these reasons, some cautiously speculate that future government reorganization discussions may favor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has strong direct or indirect connections with President-elect Yoon's camp.

However, concerns are rising inside and outside government about the recurring trade turf battles during regime changes. Especially for a country that relies on trade for its livelihood, it is pointed out that trade policy functions should not be arbitrarily shifted between ministries based on the influence of 'regime insiders.' Trade affairs have traditionally been led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy since 1948, transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the DJ (Kim Dae-jung) administration in 1998, and moved back to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2013.

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