Lee Jae Myung to Replace Ministers in Economy and Security Sectors; Ha Jung-woo Returns as Vice Chair of AI Strategy Committee

[Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung carried out a cabinet reshuffle on the 30th, naming new candidates for six ministries. The move also included senior staff appointments at Cheong Wa Dae, including the senior secretary for AI and future planning. It was a mid-scale reshuffle aimed at replacing the deputy prime minister for economic affairs and the ministers of defense, justice, land, infrastructure and transport, SMEs and startups, and gender equality and family.
Chief of Staff to the President Kang Hoon-sik announced the reshuffle plan at a briefing in the Chunchu Hall that day. He said, "These are appointments designed to lead the sweeping social transformation that the Republic of Korea must pursue." He added, "With new leadership that combines dynamism and expertise, we will create tangible changes that people can feel and help drive Korea's leap forward as an irreplaceable nation."
Lee nominated Lee Hyoung-il, the first vice minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, as candidate for deputy prime minister for economic affairs and minister of economy and finance.
Kang described him as "one of the country's leading policy experts who has held key posts across economic policymaking." He said Lee had demonstrated execution skills by leading the introduction of a cap on oil prices in response to high crude prices driven by tensions in the Middle East. "As a young economic commander, he is expected to connect record-high economic indicators with qualitative improvements in people's lives, overcome polarization, and guide our economy toward stable growth," Kang added.
Lee also nominated Hong Ji-seon, the second vice minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, as candidate for minister of land, infrastructure and transport. Kang said Hong had overseen the entire process of housing supply policy, from design to field implementation, while serving as head of the housing and urban affairs office in Gyeonggi Province. "We expect her to quickly supply enough homes in the places people want to live," he said.
Lee nominated Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Soyoung Lee as candidate for minister of SMEs and startups. Cheong Wa Dae said she was selected because, as a principled two-term lawmaker, she has built broad policy experience ranging from innovative growth to livelihood issues by actively pushing legislation to support startups and protect small business owners.



Lee also nominated Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Seung-won as candidate for minister of justice and former deputy commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command Kang Shin-cheol as candidate for minister of national defense.
Kang described Kim, the justice minister nominee, as "a two-term lawmaker and former judge who serves as secretary of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly." He said Kim deeply understands the purpose of reforming the criminal justice system and is expected to protect victims' rights as a top priority while quickly settling the new system in place.
About Kang, the defense minister nominee, he said Kang is "currently ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Saudi Arabia and a former four-star general who served in key posts, including head of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff." He added, "Based on the strong ROK-U.S. alliance, he is expected to strengthen self-reliant defense capabilities for future warfare and boldly and swiftly open a new path for defense reform, including the integration of military academies."
Lee also nominated Basic Income Party leader Yong Hye-in as candidate for minister of gender equality and family.
Asked why politicians were chosen as nominees, Kang said, "The work of the relevant standing committees was reflected very fundamentally." He added, "Lawmaker Yong Hye-in served on the Gender Equality and Family Committee, lawmaker Soyoung Lee served on the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee, and lawmaker Kim Seung-won served on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee. I believe they had expertise in their respective fields, and that experience was reflected in these appointments."

Lee named Rebuilding Korea Party lawmaker Lee Hae-min as senior secretary to the president for AI and future planning. Kang said she is "a next-generation politician with a background as a Google engineer who has led the direction of Korea's AI policy, including by sponsoring the framework act on AI." He added that she is the right person to connect the national AI strategy with industrial innovation and service changes that people can feel, while serving as a control tower that brings together capabilities across ministries.
On the reason for selecting an opposition lawmaker, Kang said, "To bring about practical changes that people can feel more quickly and spread them more widely, we made merit the only standard for cabinet appointments." He added, "If there are capable people among the opposition who can work with us, we wanted to bring them in as much as possible. The only criterion was merit."


Lee Won-joo, the current head of the energy transition policy office at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, was selected as the inaugural aide for the planned Mega Project post.
Ha Jung-woo, former AI senior secretary at Cheong Wa Dae, was named vice chair of the presidential National AI Strategy Committee. Kang said, "I think everyone knows that he is recognized at home and abroad for his field expertise as an AI specialist." He added, "As a member who helped launch the National AI Strategy Committee, he also knows this issue very well. Our selection criteria focused broadly on talent with both capability and skill."
Kim Kyung-soo, former chair of the Presidential Committee for the Era of Local Autonomy, was also appointed as senior presidential secretary for political affairs. Kang said, "We expect him to serve as a strong bridge for national unity and stable state affairs."
[email protected] Reporter Choi Jong-geun Reporter