President Yoon Appoints Seoul National University Professor Ko Hak-su as New Personal Information Protection Commission Chairperson

Presidential Office: "Chairman Ko, Top Expert in Personal Data Protection"

Goh Hak-su, the newly appointed Chairman of the Personal Information Protection Commission.

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 6th, President Yoon Seok-yeol appointed Professor Ko Hak-su of Seoul National University Law School as the Chairperson (ministerial level) of the Personal Information Protection Commission.

The Presidential Office spokesperson announced this appointment in a press release that afternoon.

Appointee Ko graduated from Seoul National University’s Department of Economics and earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Columbia University School of Law in the United States, as well as a Ph.D. in Economics.

Professor Ko, a faculty member at Seoul National University Law School, previously served as president of the Korean Law and Economics Association. He currently serves as president of the Korean Artificial Intelligence Law Association.

The Presidential Office emphasized, "Appointee Ko is a top expert in the field of personal information protection, having actively engaged in various academic activities related to personal information protection, data economy, and artificial intelligence, and participated in government committees, making him well-versed in the realities of laws and systems."

It added, "Based on his extensive experience and high expertise, he is the right person to actively promote the Yoon Seok-yeol administration’s national agenda, including thorough protection of personal information and establishment of a safe and reliable data utilization system."

The Chairperson of the Personal Information Protection Commission is the head of a central administrative agency responsible for overseeing policies and supervision related to personal information protection, and unlike other ministries, the position does not require a confirmation hearing.

The position had been vacant since former Chairperson Yoon Jong-in, who took office with the commission’s launch in August 2020, resigned last month with about one year left in his term.

Earlier, on the 27th of last month, President Yoon appointed former Secretary-General Choi Jang-hyuk as Vice Chairperson (vice ministerial level).

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