Appointment of 20 Deputy Ministers in Yoon Administration "No Government Vacancy... Immediate Appointment Upon Inauguration" (Comprehensive)

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol announced on the 9th the appointments of vice ministers for 15 ministries and the Presidential Secretariat.

The President-elect's office stated, "We are announcing these appointments with the determination to ensure that there will be no gaps in government operations," and added, "We plan to sign and issue the related orders immediately upon inauguration."

Yoon appointed Bang Gi-seon, a standing director at the Asian Development Bank, as the 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Choi Sang-dae, head of the Budget Office at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, as the 2nd Vice Minister.

For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cho Hyun-dong, head of the Korea Investment Promotion Office at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, was named 1st Vice Minister, and Lee Do-hoon, former head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Peace Negotiation Headquarters on the Korean Peninsula, was appointed 2nd Vice Minister. Lee played a key role in North Korea nuclear and inter-Korean policies during the Moon Jae-in administration and joined Yoon’s presidential campaign to assist.

Kim Ki-woong, former Unification Secretary at the Presidential Secretariat, was appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Unification, and Shin Beom-cheol, president of the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade and head of the Center for Foreign Affairs and Security, was named Vice Minister of the Ministry of National Defense.

Following the withdrawal of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, the Ministry of Education is expected to operate under an acting minister system for the time being. Jang Sang-yoon, head of the Social Coordination Office at the Office for Government Policy Coordination, was appointed Vice Minister of Education.

Han Chang-seop, head of the Government Innovation Organization at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, was appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and Kim Seong-ho, head of the Disaster Management Office at the same ministry, was named head of the Disaster and Safety Management Headquarters.

Additionally, Jeon Byeong-geuk, head of the Innovation Management Headquarters at GKL, was appointed 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Kim In-jung, Deputy Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, was named Vice Minister.

Jang Young-jin, president of the Korea Electronics Technology Institute, was appointed 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and Ahn Deok-geun, professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Seoul National University, was named head of the Trade Negotiation Headquarters.

Jo Gyu-hong, director at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, was appointed 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and Lee Gi-il, head of the Health and Medical Policy Office at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, was named 2nd Vice Minister.

Yu Je-cheol, president of the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, was appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of Environment, and Kwon Gi-seop, head of the Industrial Safety and Health Headquarters at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, was named Vice Minister.

Lee Won-jae, head of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, was appointed 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Song Sang-geun, head of the Marine Policy Office at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, was named Vice Minister; and Jo Ju-hyeon, head of the Small Business Policy Office at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, was appointed Vice Minister.

President-elect Yoon appointed Kang Ui-gu, former secretary to the Prosecutor General, as Chief of Staff to manage affairs closely related to the president.

Kang, a close aide who has been connected with Yoon for over 20 years since Yoon was a prosecutor in the Central Investigation Department of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, also served as his secretary when Yoon was Prosecutor General.

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