12 vice-ministerial appointments

[Anchor]

We begin with the announcement of the vice-ministerial appointments made today (July 13).

President Lee Jae Myung has made a large-scale appointment of 12 vice-ministerial positions today.

The two notable figures are Hong So-young, the Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, and Jo Won-cheol, the Minister of Government Legislation.

First, reporter Son Seo-young reports on the details of today's appointments and the background of the selections.

[Report]

President Lee Jae Myung has announced appointments for 12 vice-ministerial positions.

Jo Won-cheol, a former Supreme Court research judge, has been appointed as the Minister of Government Legislation.

The new Minister of Legislation previously served as legal counsel to President Lee during the Daejang-dong case, prompting criticism from the People Power Party to call the move both a form of judicial protection and a reward appointment.

The presidential office has drawn a line, stating that the appointments were based on qualifications.

[Kang Yu-jung/Presidential Office Spokesperson: "I understand that this appointment was made in recognition of his 26 years of experience as a judge and practical experience as a lawyer."]

The appointment of the first female Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration also stands out.

President Lee appointed Hong So-young, the former head of the Daejeon-Chungnam Military Manpower Administration, as the new Commissioner.

[Kang Yu-jung/Presidential Office Spokesperson: "As the first female Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, she is expected to foster a military service culture that the public can empathize with and trust."]

Choi Eun-ok, the former head of the Higher Education Policy Office at the Ministry of Education, has been appointed as the Vice Minister of Education. Koo Hyuk-chae, the head of the Planning and Coordination Office at the Ministry of Science and ICT, will now serve as the First Vice Minister of Science and ICT. Park In-kyu, a distinguished professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Seoul, has been appointed as the head of the Science and Technology Innovation Bureau.

Kang Yoon-jin, the Cooperation Officer for Veterans' Organizations, has been appointed as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, and Kang Hee-eop, the Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, has been appointed as the Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The trend of internal promotions aimed at improving work efficiency continues, with Roh Yong-seok, head of the office of small and medium enterprises policy at the SME and start-ups ministry, and Lee Myung-koo, the Deputy Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service, both promoted to vice ministerial positions.

Heo Min, a professor at Chonnam National University who oversaw the UNESCO Global Geopark certification for the Mudeungsan area, has been appointed as the head of the Korea Heritage Service. Lim Seung-kwan, the head of the Central Infectious Disease Hospital Establishment Promotion Team at the National Medical Center, has been appointed as the Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

Kang Joo-yeop, the current Deputy Director of the Ministry of National Agency for Administrative City Construction, has been appointed as the head of the Ministry.

This is Son Seo-young from KBS News.