Yoon Nominates Ahn Duk-geun, Chief Trade Negotiator, as Minister of Industry (Update)

Presidential Office: "Responding Flawlessly to Trade Issues... Leading the Expansion of South Korea's Economic Territory"

President Yoon Suk-yeol nominated Ahn Deok-geun, Director General of Trade Negotiations, as the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 17th.

Kim Dae-gi, Chief of Staff to the President, held a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon and announced this appointment. Candidate Ahn is a former professor in the Department of International Studies at Seoul National University and served as the first Director General of Trade Negotiations under the Yoon administration. He graduated from Daegu Deokwon High School and Seoul National University’s Department of International Economics, and served as an expert member of the Economic 1 Division of the 18th Presidential Transition Committee.

Ahn Deok-geun, nominated as the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, is expressing his thoughts on the afternoon of the 17th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Chief Kim explained the background of the appointment, saying, "Candidate Ahn is a former professor at Seoul National University’s Graduate School of International Studies, an international trade expert who combines both theory and practice, and currently demonstrates outstanding work capabilities by responding flawlessly to various trade issues as the Director General of Trade Negotiations. Based on his proven work and abilities, as well as his extensive domestic and international networks, we expect him to vigorously promote export growth, foster core strategic industries, and innovate industrial regulations, thereby revitalizing our economy and leading the expansion of South Korea’s economic territory."

Meanwhile, Minister Visit Kyu is likely to run in the general election next April. The ruling party, People Power Party, has been requesting cabinet members to run in the election. As a result, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will welcome a new head less than three months after Minister Bang’s inauguration at the end of September. Candidate Ahn will be appointed after a confirmation hearing in the National Assembly.

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