Presidential Office 2nd Office and 5 Senior Secretaries... Economic Senior Secretary Choi Sang-mok Likely to Lead

Announcement as early as the 24th... Discussion on splitting the Job Secretary and establishing the Education and Science Secretary

[Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] It has been reported that Choi Sang-mok, a former vice minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, has been virtually appointed as the economic chief secretary of the presidential office in the new government. President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol plans to announce personnel appointments for the presidential office, including this, and the organizational restructuring plan for the '2 Offices and 5 Chief Secretaries' system as early as the 24th.

According to the transition committee on the 22nd, President-elect Yoon has appointed former Vice Minister Choi as the economic chief secretary, and has settled on appointing Professor Kim So-young of Seoul National University, who was initially considered, as the chairperson of the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology. This reflects President-elect Yoon's emphasis on the economy and the fact that former Vice Minister Choi is well acquainted with government departments and bureaucrats.

For the social chief secretary, Professor Ahn Sang-hoon of the Department of Social Welfare at Seoul National University, affiliated with the social welfare and culture division of the transition committee, and former lawmaker Lee Jin-bok are being mentioned for the political chief secretary position. Former lawmaker Kang Seung-gyu is also being considered for the civil society chief secretary. If the education and science chief secretary position is newly established, it is highly likely that a person recommended by transition committee chairman Ahn Cheol-soo will join the presidential office. Former KBS External Cooperation Director Lee Kang-deok is reportedly a strong candidate for the public relations chief secretary, and Kang In-sun, the president-elect’s foreign press spokesperson, is likely to become the spokesperson. Former Supreme Prosecutors' Office Secretary General Bok Doo-gyu is a strong candidate for the personnel planning officer.

The presidential office is conducting final reviews with candidates such as Kim Dae-gi, the nominee for chief of staff, on the plan to adjust the structure to 2 offices (secretary and security) and 5 chief secretaries (economy, society, politics, public relations, civil society). However, besides the plan to establish the education and science chief secretary, there is also discussion about appointing a planning officer at the secretary level to replace the personnel chief secretary function. The functions previously handled by the job chief secretary are expected to be reorganized and divided between the social and economic chief secretaries.

With Choi appointed as the economic chief secretary, the pool of candidates for the Financial Services Commission chairman has become uncertain. Consequently, claims that the current chairman’s term will be guaranteed by the next government are resurfacing. A transition committee official stated, "Minister-level personnel matters can be addressed after the confirmation hearings for ministerial candidates are completed; it is not too late to start then." Another official said, "Since there have been precedents and customs of guaranteeing the terms of minister-level personnel as much as possible, the process will proceed slowly reflecting that."

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