K-Halal Hopes Grow... Quarantine Agency Chief Choi Jeong-rok Named Ambassador to Malaysia

[The Financial News] Choi Jeong-rok, head of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, has been appointed ambassador to Malaysia. It is the first time since the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs was established that an agricultural policy official has moved into an ambassadorial post. The appointment is seen as reflecting a push to expand K-food exports, given Malaysia’s importance as a key country for global halal food certification.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said on the 11th that Director Choi had been appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Malaysia.
The newly appointed ambassador, Choi, said, “I will do my utmost to carry out political and diplomatic duties in line with the political and economic circumstances of both countries,” and added, “As Malaysia is a hub for halal food, I will work to expand the K-food market.”
Malaysia has a population of about 33.8 million, around 60% of whom are Muslim. Certification from Malaysia’s halal certification body, JAKIM, is recognized in the 57 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). This is why Malaysia is considered a gateway to the 2-billion-person global halal market.
Ambassador Choi studied veterinary medicine at Seoul National University and earned a master’s degree in food safety and hygiene management at the University of Birmingham in the UK. He entered public service through the 36th technical civil service examination and went on to serve as head of the Operations Support Division and the Rural Policy Division at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, head of the Animal and Plant Health Research Department at the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, and director of the Animal Health Policy Bureau. Since taking over as head of the agency in October last year, he has built infrastructure to support private companies in developing an African swine fever (ASF) vaccine.
In particular, Ambassador Choi has experience working to remove non-tariff barriers, including through quarantine negotiations for agricultural and livestock products—the foundation of agricultural and food exports—and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures. During his tenure at the embassy in China, he gained a strong understanding of economic and trade issues in the Chinese-speaking world through four rounds of Korea-China agricultural ministerial talks. He also led quarantine negotiations for exports to China of Korean agricultural products, including rice and samgyetang. He is seen as being well placed to gauge demand for exchanges and cooperation in Malaysia, where the ethnic Chinese community has considerable influence.
[email protected] Choi Yong-jun, agriculture specialist Reporter