New South Korea President unveils first batch of key nominations including PM, top aides

The Star

05-06-2025

SEOUL: President Lee Jae-myung (pic) unveiled key nominations on his first day of presidency on June 4, including the prime minister nominee and his presidential aides, in his first briefing to reporters after entering the presidential office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
At a briefing room of the presidential office, Lee announced that he had picked four-term Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Rep Kim Min-seok as the nominee for the prime minister of South Korea.
Lee said Kim, 61, was the right fit for the position, which Lee described as 'a mediator between the Cabinet and people'.
Lee touted Kim's vast experience in politics, capability to execute policies to improve people's quality of life and expertise in handling international affairs.
Kim has served as the senior member of the Democratic Party's supreme council since Lee chaired the party. Recently, Mr Kim was one of the co-chairs of Lee's presidential campaign team.
Under the National Assembly Act, Kim may serve as both the prime minister and a lawmaker, so he may retain his parliamentary seat.
In addition, Lee Jong-seok was nominated as the chief of the National Intelligence Service, the spy agency of South Korea. The 67-year-old would be the right person to safeguard South Korea's national interest in the face of international trade fluctuations, President Lee said.
The NIS chief nominee formerly served as the minister of unification and led the standing committee of South Korea's National Security Council during the late former liberal president Roh Moo-hyun's term.
President Lee described him as capable of seeking a breakthrough from the strained relationship between the two Koreas.
Before the liberal president's final approval, Kim Min-seok and Lee Jong-seok's nominations would require a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly, where the major liberal party holds the majority of seats.
Three-term Democratic Party lawmaker Rep Kang Hoon-sik, 51, was tapped as the presidential chief of staff.
President Lee's office also stated that Kang became the first chief of staff to have been born in 1970 or later, which would allow the Lee administration to add speed to its handling of state affairs.
Kang has represented the Asan-B constituency in South Chungcheong Province since 2016.
Rep Wi Sung-lac of the Democratic Party was picked as the national security adviser for the liberal president. Wi was formerly the South Korean ambassador to Russia.
President Lee's office said Wi played a crucial role in crafting the president's campaign pledges on foreign affairs and national security.
Both Kang and Wi were to lose their positions as members of the National Assembly.
Lee also named Rep Kang Yu-jung of the Democratic Party as the presidential spokesperson, and tapped Hwang In-kwon, a former four-star army general, as the new leader of the Presidential Security Service.
President Lee told reporters that all the figures he nominated are not only loyal to the people, but also competent, adding that these two personality traits would continue to be the barometer for his future nominations.
The president also said during the briefing that he would not rush to nominate ministers related to South Korea's economy and industry, or carry out an overhaul of the organisation of the presidential office. - The Korea Herald/ANN