Jeju's 9th Elected Administration Activates Two-Pronged Leadership for Central Negotiations and Policy Communication... Appoints Cheol Jun Kang and Bu Nam-cheol

[Financial News Jeju = Reporter Jeong Yong-bok] Two key positions responsible for negotiations with the central government and the National Assembly and policy communication with residents for Jeju's 9th elected provincial administration are beginning operations in earnest. Cheol Jun Kang, Head of the Central Cooperation Headquarters, who spent more than 30 years working at national public institutions on government budgets and project planning, will oversee central coordination, while spokesperson Bu Nam-cheol, a journalist with 30 years of experience, will serve as a bridge between the provincial administration, the media, and residents.
According to Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 15th, Governor Wi Seong-gon appointed Cheol Jun Kang as Head of the Central Cooperation Headquarters and Bu Nam-cheol as spokesperson that day. The two were selected as the final appointees following an open recruitment and Personnel Committee recommendation process on August 25.
Both positions are open positions that bring private-sector expertise into public service. The Head of the Central Cooperation Headquarters is appointed as a local deputy director or an equivalent general fixed-term public official, while the spokesperson is appointed as a local secretary or an equivalent general fixed-term public official; each appointment lasts two years.
The roles of the two positions are clearly distinct.
The Jeju Provincial Government's Central Cooperation Headquarters in Seoul is Jeju's central-government liaison office. It explains provincial issues to the National Assembly and political parties and consults with central ministries on policies, budgets, and institutional improvements. It is also responsible for promoting provincial affairs to the national media, gathering policy input, building domestic and international networks, and supporting investment attraction.
Head Cheol Jun Kang's first task is also expected to focus on how effectively Jeju's issues can be reflected in central government policies and the national budget.
Born in 1962, Head Kang spent 34 years at national public institutions handling management planning, business planning, regional development, and management support. As an executive director of the Korea Mine Reclamation and Mineral Resources Corporation, he oversaw mine-reclamation projects, and he previously held key positions at the Korea Mine Reclamation Corporation.
In particular, while pursuing government projects, he gained experience responding to budget deliberations by the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the National Assembly, as well as establishing the legal basis for new projects through legislative amendments. This experience is directly relevant to the Central Cooperation Headquarters' work of securing state funding and improving institutions.
The Central Cooperation Headquarters is also organized around responding to the National Assembly and the government. The National Assembly External Cooperation Department includes the Administrative Coordination Division, the National Assembly External Affairs Division, and the Government Cooperation Division, placing Head Kang in overall charge of everything from cooperation with the National Assembly and political parties on Jeju's issues to budget negotiations with central ministries.
Spokesperson Bu Nam-cheol is responsible for explaining the provincial administration's policies to the media and residents.
Born in 1969, spokesperson Bu Nam-cheol earned a master's degree in journalism from Kyung Hee University and entered the media industry as a reporter in 1995. After gaining experience in reporting, editing, media-company management, and new-media operations, he served as editor-in-chief of Samda Ilbo.
Through covering local issues over many years, he gained firsthand knowledge of Jeju society's policy debates, the media landscape, and how policies develop into public opinion. This experience can be a strength in explaining and coordinating provincial issues from the perspectives of the media and residents.
A spokesperson must be able to explain complex provincial issues accurately so that residents can understand them, rather than merely publicizing policies. When controversy or conflict arises during policy implementation, the spokesperson is also responsible for promptly explaining Jeju's position and responding to questions and criticism from the media.
The appointments of the two men signify more than simply filling open positions; they represent the completion of the 9th elected provincial administration's system for external negotiations and policy communication.
If the Central Cooperation Headquarters is the 'external window' through which Jeju's issues are reflected in government policies, the national budget, and laws and institutions, the spokesperson is closer to the 'internal window' through which the process and results are explained to the media and residents.
The criteria for evaluating performance are also clear. For Head Kang, the key question is how effectively the state-funding and institutional-improvement tasks requested by Jeju are connected to actual decisions by the government and the National Assembly. For spokesperson Bu Nam-cheol, the key is not one-sided promotion of the provincial administration's policies, but accurate explanations of the issues surrounding current affairs and persuasive responses to questions from residents and the media.
Governor Wi Seong-gon urged them to "secure cooperation from the central government and the National Assembly, accurately inform residents about major provincial issues, and communicate proactively," adding, "Use your expertise and field experience to create the changes and results Jeju needs."


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