President Lee Jae-myung has appointed Park Jeong-seong, the Deputy Minister of Trade, as the new head of the Trade Negotiation Office at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Choi Yong-cheol, the Deputy Chief of the Fire Agency, has been named the new Fire Chief.
Blue House spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong announced in a written briefing on the afternoon of August 21 that President Lee made these appointments.
Park, born in 1972, graduated from Kyungwon High School and Seoul National University with a degree in economics. He has nearly 30 years of experience in key positions related to trade and trade policy, including serving as the Director of the Trade and Investment Bureau and Deputy Minister of Trade.
Kang described Park as someone who has overseen practical aspects of tariff and investment negotiations with the U.S., making him well-suited to maintain continuity in negotiations amid urgent trade issues with the U.S. She expressed confidence that Park would navigate complex trade matters with a sophisticated negotiation strategy, drawing on his experience as co-chair of the World Trade Organization (WTO) investment facilitation negotiations and as the lead representative for the U.S. tariff negotiation task force.
The appointment of Park comes after the dismissal of former Trade Negotiation Office head Yeo Han-goo, indicating a move to ensure continuity in trade policy.
Choi, the new Fire Chief, is a fire expert with 27 years of experience in both frontline rescue operations and key policy departments. He has previously served as the acting head of the Gyeonggi Province Fire and Disaster Headquarters and as the Deputy Chief of the Fire Agency.
Kang praised Choi for his exceptional field command skills, strong work ethic, and extensive administrative experience, noting his high regard within the Fire Agency for his rational leadership that fosters communication and unity.
She added that Choi is expected to establish a thorough disaster prevention and response system in line with the government's goal of prioritizing the safety and lives of citizens across all areas of governance.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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