President Yoon Suk Yeol has appointed Kim Sung-yeol, the head of the Industrial Growth Division at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, as the new Economic Security Secretary at the Blue House. Kim will oversee key economic and trade issues between South Korea and the United States, including the 'first investment project' outlined in the Korea-U.S. joint fact sheet.
According to the Dong-A Ilbo on July 19, sources from the Blue House and the ruling party confirmed that Kim began his official duties by attending a weekly work meeting chaired by Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik. This appointment comes about a month after Song Ki-ho, the former Economic Security Secretary, was promoted to the second deputy director of the National Security Office.
Born in 1970, Kim graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in business administration and later earned a master's degree from the same institution. He entered public service in 1997 after passing the civil service exam. His career includes roles as the director of the Industrial Economic Policy Division at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, the administrative officer in the Blue House's Knowledge Economy Secretary's Office, and the head of the Power Industry Division at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
Kim also has practical experience in U.S. trade matters, having served as a commercial attaché at the South Korean Consulate General in New York and as a minister-counselor at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C. He is regarded as a suitable candidate to coordinate trade and investment issues, including the 'first investment project' with the U.S.
President Yoon has been accelerating his administration's agenda in the second year of his term, recently appointing Kim Tae-won as the Youth Future Secretary on July 16, followed by Kim's official start.
The Blue House is also reportedly in the process of filling several other secretary-level positions, including the Digital Communication Secretary, which has been vacant for over six months since the resignation of lawmaker Kim Nam-kook, and the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Secretary, following the appointment of Lee Sung-hoon as president of the Korea Land and Housing Corporation.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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