Yoon shakes up Cabinet, Olympian and other outsiders stand out

President Yoon Suk Yeol tapped a scholar known for his hardline stance on Pyongyang as the head of the Unification Ministry and an Olympic weightlifting gold medalist as vice culture minister as part of an extensive reshuffle of his administration.

Kim Yung-ho, unification minister nominee, left, and Jang Mi-ran, second vice culture minister nominee

President Yoon Suk Yeol tapped a scholar known for his hardline stance on Pyongyang as the new head of the Unification Ministry and an Olympic weightlifting gold medalist as vice culture minister as part of an extensive reshuffle of his administration Thursday.

Kim Yung-ho, a professor at Sungshin Women's University's department of political science and diplomacy, was named to replace current Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, according to Kim Dae-ki, presidential chief of staff, in a press briefing.

Weightlifting champion Jang Mi-ran, a 39-year-old professor of physical education at Yong In University who won gold in the women's over 75-kilogram category in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was named second vice minister of culture, sports and tourism.

The presidential office announced two minister-level and 13 vice minister-level appointments Thursday, as Yoon entered his second year in office determined to move along reform plans. This marks the first major reshuffling of ministers and vice ministers since Yoon took office in May 2022.

The replacements come ahead of next year's general elections, with several officials like Unification Minister Kwon, a prosecutor-turned-lawmaker of the People Power Party (PPP), expected to run for a position.

Kim Yung-ho, a native of Jinju, is currently chair of the Unification Ministry's future planning committee, an advisory body meant to lay out the Yoon administration's new vision for unification.

He is a political scientist who specialized in the 1950-53 Korean War and is a graduate of Seoul National University and earned a doctorate degree from the University of Virginia's Woodrow Wilson Department of Government and Foreign Affairs.

Chief of Staff Kim pointed to the professor's "expertise in international politics and unification policy" from serving as a presidential secretary of unification affairs and later as the Foreign Ministry's human rights ambassador under the Lee Myung-bak administration.

He described the nominee as the "right person to pursue a principled North Korea policy and a consistent unification strategy."

"I will do my best to handle the North Korean nuclear issue with principle and build a foundation to improve inter-Korean relations," Kim, the unification minister nominee, said in a press briefing at the Yongsan presidential office immediately following his appointment. "I will do my best to come up with a plan for peaceful unification based on the basic order of liberal democracy and to form a public consensus on it."

Kim is known for his hawkish stance on Pyongyang, having made remarks in the past indicating that North Korea needs to be pressured to change over its human rights issues, an issue the regime has especially bristled over. He also has operated a YouTube channel since 2018, featuring discussions on international matters such as North Korea and the Seoul-Washington alliance.

Like other minister nominees, Kim will be subject to a confirmation hearing in the National Assembly.

Kim Yung-ho, left, the unification minister nominee, and Kim Hong-il, appointed as new chairman of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, speak to reporters at a press briefing at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul Thursday. [YONHAP]

Kim Hong-il, a lawyer at Shin & Kim and former prosecutor, was named as the new head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, a minister-level position. He replaces the commission's current chairperson, Jeon Hyun-heui, who was appointed by the previous Moon Jae-in government and concluded her three-year term this week.

A graduate of Chungnam National University Law School, Kim, who has over 40 years of legal experience, previously served as a former chief prosecutor of the Busan High Public Prosecutors' Office and head of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's Central Investigation Department.

Chief of Staff Kim described him as "an authentic legal professional with extensive practical experience and knowledge in legal theory" who will be responsible for "swiftly normalizing the function and status of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission as an organization in charge of anticorruption and integrity through an upright character and reasonable leadership."

"I will quickly stabilize the commission, which has been shaken by various circumstances, and focus on its original task of preventing corruption and defending the people's rights and interests by grasping the current situation, and work for it to become a national institution trusted by the people," said Kim Hong-il at the same briefing.

Weightlifting champion Jang Mi-ran wins the gold medal in the women's over 75-kilogram category in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. [JOONGANG PHOTOS]

The breakout appointment was Jang, who became the first South Korean female weightlifter to win the gold medal at the Summer Olympics in 2008 in her category with a then-world record total of 326 kilograms (718 pounds). She previously took a silver medal in the over 75-kilogram category at the 2004 Athens Games, the bronze at the 2012 London Games, along with a series of world championship titles.

Though she retired from the sport in 2013, Jang supports young athletes through the Jang Miran Foundation and pursued her master's and doctorate degrees in physical education, becoming a professor at Yong In University in 2016.

K-drama fans may be familiar with Jang as the real-life inspiration for the 2016 MBC series, "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo," starring actor Lee Sung-kyoung in the titular role.

The first vice culture minister oversees cultural and tourism affairs, while the second minister manages sports-related matters.

A presidential official pointed to Jang's experience in the field, university professorship and efforts to nurture young athletes through her foundation, noting she is a nominee that "combines field experience and theory."

The official added, "If Korea's cultural side is dominated by BTS, we thought it would be nice if someone like [Jang] will be able to bring a new gust of wind to the sports side."

Jang is one of three women tapped in this round of appointments, though not the first athlete vice minister.

A congratulatory orchid is placed in front of Prof. Jang Mi-ran's office at Yong In University in Gyeonggi on Thursday. The former Olympian was picked as vice minister of culture, sports and tourism. [YONHAP]

Oh Young-ju, a seasoned diplomat and ambassador to Vietnam, was named second vice minister of foreign affairs. This marks the first time a woman was named to a vice foreign minister post. Oh joined the ministry in 1988 after passing the foreign service exam, becoming the fourth female diplomat to do so, and has served in senior posts including at the United Nations.

Likewise, Cho Seong-kyung, presidential secretary for science and technology, was named as vice minister of science and ICT. She is known as an expert in nuclear power plants and energy sources and could play a role in response to the controversial issue of Japan's planned release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Other replacements included Moon Seoung-hyun, ambassador to Thailand, as vice unification minister, making this the first time in 25 years that both minister and vice minister posts in the Unification Ministry were from outside appointments.

Vice ministers were also replaced in the ministries of Economy and Finance; Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; Environment; Employment and Labor; Land, Infrastructure and Transport; Oceans and Fisheries; and SMEs and Startups.

There were notably five presidential secretaries appointed to vice minister, including Park Sung-hoon, presidential secretary for national planning, as vice minister of oceans and fisheries.

A presidential official told reporters that it is not an uncommon practice and said there was an expectation that individuals "who understand the president's state affairs philosophy will go to their ministries and lead it in order for us to gain momentum for reform."

Yoon instructed the presidential secretaries who were appointed to the vice-ministerial posts, "As high-ranking public servants serving the people, if you discover a predatory interest cartel while handling your tasks, fight back boldly," according to Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for press affairs, in a statement.

The nominees will be appointed Monday, according to presidential chief of staff Kim.

Unlike expectations, the nomination for a new chairman of the Korea Communications Commission was omitted from Thursday's round of appointments.

New vice-ministerial nominees from top row left: 2nd Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Kim Wan-sub; 1st Vice Minister of Science and ICT Cho Seong-kyung; 2nd Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Oh Young-ju; Vice Minister of Unification Moon Seoung-hyun; 2nd Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Jang Mi-ran; Vice Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Han Hoon; and Vice Minister of Environment Lim Sang-jun. From bottom row left: Vice Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Sung-hee; 1st Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Oh-jin; 2nd Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Baek Won-kug; Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Park Sung-hoon; Vice Minister of SMEs and Startups Oh Kee-woong; and President of the National Human Resources Development Institute Kim Chae-hwan.

Yoon's appointments

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]