SEOUL– President Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday named the first vice health minister as the health minister, making his third pick for the job following the withdrawal of two previous nominees.
Cho Kyoo-hong, an economic technocrat who previously served in key positions in the finance ministry, was tapped to head the Ministry of Health and Welfare, presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki said during a press briefing.
Cho is the president’s third choice for the position, which has been vacant since the start of the Yoon administration.
Yoon’s two previous nominees withdrew over allegations of various irregularities.
“We determined that he is the right person to lead the realization of the Yoon Suk-yeol government’s key tasks in the areas of health and welfare,” Kim said, noting the nominee’s past involvement in national pension and health insurance reforms.
Kim also said Cho was chosen in part because of the continuity he can bring to the job as the current first vice health minister.
Cho should undergo a parliamentary confirmation hearing as mandated by law, but his appointment is not subject to approval by the National Assembly.
The nomination leaves one Cabinet position unfilled, as the then education minister resigned last month over a policy blunder.
“We’re carrying out a little more vetting for the education minister,” Kim said. “We’ll make an announcement soon.”
Kim also announced a reorganization of the presidential office and four new presidential secretaries.
Former Rep. Jun Hee-kyung of what is now the ruling People Power Party was named first secretary for political affairs, while Jang Kyung-sang, former secretary-general of the Management Institute for the State, was tapped for second secretary for political affairs.
Chung Yong-wook, an official at the prime minister’s office, was named secretary for people’s proposals under the office of the senior presidential secretary for civil society, and Kang In-sun, the current presidential spokesperson, was moved to the position of secretary for overseas public relations, a new job created under the senior secretary for public relations.
Kang will double as the spokesperson for foreign press, Kim said.
Under the reorganization plan, the office of the digital communications secretary will be moved from under the senior secretary for civil society to under the senior secretary for public relations.
The office of the religious and multicultural affairs secretary will be renamed to the office of the social empathy secretary.
Both the reorganization and the reshuffle come as Yoon has faced increasing calls to overhaul the presidential office amid criticism some of its staff members were chosen for their close personal connections with the president or his associates.
Source: Yonhap News Agency