Photo courtesy of Yonhap News
President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol is contemplating the appointment of a new government cabinet today, this weekend, and digests an undisclosed schedule.
“The internal review is expected to continue until late at night for the appointment announcement that was targeted for tomorrow,” said Yoon’s representative.
It is reported that President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol is taking a rest at his home in Seocho-gu, Seoul today, and receiving a closed-door meeting and report on recruitment.
Initially, the transition committee planned to hold a press conference tomorrow and announce the appointment of 7 to 8 ministerial candidates led by the Deputy Prime Minister, but the announcement may be delayed depending on the progress of verification.
It is known that former Lieutenant General Lee Jong-seop is likely to be the Minister of National Defense.
Former Lieutenant General Lee, who served as the deputy chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is currently serving as a member of the transition committee’s foreign affairs and security division.
Kim Yong-hyeon, former director of the Joint Chiefs of Operations, and Kim Hwang-rok, former head of the National Defense Intelligence Agency, who are known to have been appointed as the president’s head of security, are also mentioned, but it is said that they were actually selected as former lieutenant generals.
In the line of foreign affairs and security, it is known that Rep. Park Jin, the People’s Strength, is the most influential as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Rep. Jo Tae-yong has been nominated as the Ambassador to the US.
It is reported that Kim Seong-han, secretary of the foreign affairs and security division of the transition committee, who oversees Yun’s foreign policy, is likely to be the head of the National Security Office, who will serve as the security commander.
The Minister of Unification is conducting verification work with more emphasis on the selection of experts rather than politicians, but it is known that Seoul National University professor Kim Byung-yeon, who was mentioned in the candidate group, is refusing to do so.
As the deputy prime minister for the economy, Rep. Choo Kyung-ho, who served as the secretary of the Planning and Coordination Division of the Transition Committee, was effectively appointed as the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy.
As the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, former 1st Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Kyung-hwan, who designed the real estate pledge at President-elect Yoon’s presidential campaign, and Shim Gyo-eon, the head of the real estate task force of the transition committee, are being mentioned.
It is known that the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries is in a final competition with Lee Yeon-seung, former chairman of the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority, and Cho Seung-hwan, former director of the Institute of Oceans and Fisheries Science and Technology Promotion, and one incumbent research institute head under the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, whose ministry will be abolished after the inauguration of the new government, is said to be verifying Won Sook-yeon, the president of the Korean Association for Public Administration, Professor Kim Young-mi of Ewha Womans University, Professor Kim Young-mi of the Department of Social Welfare at Dongseo University, and Professor Hwang Ok-kyung of the Department of Child Care at Seoul Theological University.