President Lee Appoints Former Supreme Court Justice Kim Ji-hyung as Chair of Economic, Social and Labor Council

[Financial News] On the 3rd, President Lee Jae Myung appointed Kim Ji-hyung, a senior advisor at JIPYONG LLC and former Supreme Court Justice, as Chair of the Economic, Social and Labor Council (ESLC).
Kang Yoo-jung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, announced these appointments at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day.
Chair Kim is recognized as a leading authority on labor law within the judiciary and has worked to protect the socially disadvantaged. He has served as the head of the special investigation committee on the late Kim Yong-gyun’s death and as chair of the support and compensation committee for leukemia cases at Samsung Electronics and other workplaces, playing a key role in uncovering the truth and mediating social conflicts on various issues.
Spokesperson Kang explained, "As the head of the Economic, Social and Labor Council, a tripartite dialogue body for resolving diverse issues in the workplace, he is the right person to lead fair social dialogue."
President Lee also appointed Kim Yong-sun, current head of the Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (KIPPA), as Commissioner of the Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP). Kim has held key posts at the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), including Deputy Commissioner, Director General for Industrial Property Policy, and spokesperson, and is regarded as an expert well-versed in intellectual property policy.
He has also served as Vice Chair of the Coordination Committee of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), gaining extensive international experience. He is considered the right person to respond swiftly to intellectual property disputes. Spokesperson Kang stated, "By building a virtuous cycle ecosystem for intellectual property—encompassing R&D, commercialization, and reinvestment—the foundation for Korea’s K-content, Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductor, and biotechnology industry sectors will be further solidified."
President Lee appointed Hyuncheol Ryu, President of the Occupational Environment and Health Center, as Head of the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters at the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL). Ryu is an occupational and environmental medicine specialist who has actively worked to prevent industrial accidents and address workers’ health issues. He is recognized for combining field experience and theoretical expertise, having served as Director of the Korea Institute of Labor Safety and Health (KILSH) and President of the Occupational Environment and Health Center.
Spokesperson Kang noted, "As this is the first appointment since the elevation of the Occupational Safety and Health Headquarters to vice-ministerial status, Ryu is expected to be the right person to realize President Lee’s strong commitment to eradicating fatal industrial accidents."
syj@fnnews.com Seo Young-jun, Sung Seok-woo Reporter