As key public agency heads under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups approach the end of their terms, attention is turning to a significant leadership reshuffle expected in the second half of this year.
According to government sources on June 24, the terms of Kang Seok-jin, head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, and Kim Young-shin, head of the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency, will both expire in August. This means that the leaders overseeing crucial policies for small business funding and research and development support will be replaced simultaneously. Additionally, Lee Dal-gon, chair of the Shared Growth Committee, is also facing a term expiration in September.
The appointment process for public agency heads involves several steps, including forming a recommendation committee, public recruitment, document and interview evaluations, and reviews by the relevant ministry and the presidential office. Typically, recruitment announcements begin 2 to 3 months before the expiration of an agency head's term, followed by the formation of the recommendation committee. However, as of now, the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, the Korea Technology and Information Promotion Agency, and the Shared Growth Committee have not yet initiated this process.
While a major leadership reshuffle is anticipated, industry insiders believe that the appointment process for agency heads will not commence until the confirmation hearing for Prime Minister nominee Han Sung-sook is completed and the subsequent appointment of the Minister of SMEs and Startups is finalized. There are concerns that delays in appointing leaders for these pivotal agencies could lead to policy gaps.
Among the agencies under the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, there are instances where heads have remained in their positions for several months to over a year after their terms expired.
The Korea Technology Finance Corporation recently launched its third recruitment process for a new chairman. The previous recruitment effort began in November 2024, following the end of Chairman Kim Jong-ho's term, but was halted due to the declaration of a state of emergency. The process resumed in December of the following year, but ultimately fell through as candidates did not receive presidential approval. Given that the selection process typically takes over 2 to 3 months, it appears that Kim Jong-ho will continue to lead the organization for the foreseeable future.
Lee Tae-sik, head of the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency, also remains in his position despite his official term ending in April. The agency plans to form a recommendation committee as early as next month, but it is expected that the appointment process will not be finalized until after the National Assembly's audit scheduled for October.
A source from one of the Ministry's agencies expressed concern, stating, "The overlapping expiration of multiple agency heads raises worries about administrative gaps. We hope the appointment process will proceed swiftly once the ministerial appointments are completed."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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