The Ministry of Gender Equality becomes the Ministry of Future Families... The Ministry of Health and Welfare splits into two ministries...

<The New Government's Organizational Framework Seen Through Ministerial Appointments>

President-elect's Policy Advisor Kim Hyun-sook
Nomination of Minister of Gender Equality and Family
Roles Expected to Differ from Current Administration

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol announced the inaugural cabinet lineup on the afternoon of the 10th at the 20th Presidential Transition Committee in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. On this day, President-elect Yoon announced the appointments for the Minister of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. Photo by Transition Committee Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] As the Presidential Transition Committee announced the first cabinet appointments, the outline of the newly reorganized government structure after the new administration's launch is becoming clear. By examining the profiles of the ministerial candidates, one can glimpse the committee's intentions regarding the retention of each organization.

President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol nominated Professor Kim Hyun-sook of Soongsil University's Department of Economics as the candidate for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which is scheduled to be abolished. The prediction that a family and population policy expert, rather than a gender equality specialist, would be appointed proved accurate. Candidate Kim is regarded as a 'policy expert' specializing more in family and youth welfare policies than women's issues. President-elect Yoon has maintained the stance that instead of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which has given the impression of dividing people by gender, a new organization focusing more on low birth rates and population issues should be established.

President-elect Yoon also emphasized regarding Candidate Kim, "She has designed various family policies, including demand-tailored childcare support policies without blind spots such as infant care and elementary after-school care," and "I expect her to focus on population measures and family policies." Accordingly, there is speculation that the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family may be relaunched under the name Ministry of Future Families, comprehensively addressing child, family, and population issues.

The cabinet appointments also revealed the intention to establish an independent Ministry of Health, one of the key themes in government reorganization. President-elect Yoon nominated former Kyungpook National University Hospital Director Jeong Ho-young as the candidate for Minister of Health and Welfare, describing him as "the person who operated the nation's first COVID-19 residential treatment center, established the operational system of Kyungpook National University Hospital, and enabled it to serve as a regional responsibility medical institution."

It is known that within the transition committee, there is a consensus on the need for an independent Ministry of Health to efficiently respond to periodic infectious disease outbreaks. The appointment of a medical expert as minister is interpreted in this context. President-elect Yoon also stated, "I reflected the opinion that it would be better for a medical expert to serve as minister."

However, regarding the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which has been discussed mainly in the National Assembly and academia for separating its budget functions, no organizational reorganization is expected. Choo Kyung-ho, the candidate for Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, firmly stated, "During my time in the transition committee's planning and coordination division, I have never touched the Ministry of Economy and Finance's organizational reorganization."

The possibility of transferring the trade division of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also diminished. Regarding Lee Chang-yang, a KAIST professor nominated as the candidate for Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, President-elect Yoon evaluated him as "a person who has handled trade and industrial policies comprehensively for 15 years, combining theory and practice." This is interpreted as expressing expectations that Professor Lee will handle the pressing trade issues alongside Han Duck-soo, the Prime Minister candidate who served as the first Chief Trade Negotiator under the Kim Dae-jung administration.

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