President Lee Appoints New Chief of Policy and Economic Advisors

President Lee Jae-myung has promoted Ha Jun-kyung to Chief of Policy at the Blue House, effective October 1. Ha previously served as the Chief of Economic Growth, and his successor in that role is Moon Shin-hak, the current Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade.

Seong Gi-hong, Chief of Public Relations and Communication at the Blue House, announced the appointments of seven officials during a briefing at the Chunchugwan. He stated, "We focused on faithfully reflecting the voices of the people in governance and enhancing policy capabilities and execution abilities."

Ha, the new Chief of Policy, has coordinated economic policies since the beginning of President Lee's administration. The Blue House described him as an academic who has integrated fair growth and the resolution of polarization into growth strategies. They expect noticeable policy changes in areas directly related to citizens' lives, such as welfare, jobs, education, and housing.

Moon, the new Chief of Economic Growth, is recognized as an expert in the real economy, having held key positions in the industrial and energy sectors. The Blue House anticipates that he will lead three major mega projects and help recover potential growth rates, drawing on his experience in fostering advanced industries like semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI).

Song Young-gil, a member of the Democratic Party, has been appointed as Special Advisor for Peace Diplomacy, while Kim Byeong-joo, also from the Democratic Party, will serve as Special Advisor for Defense Policy. Song is a six-term lawmaker who previously chaired the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, and Kim is a former Army general.

Kwon Dae-young, Vice Chairman of the Financial Services Commission, has been named First Deputy Minister of Finance, and Jeong Ui-gyeong, Director of the Land and Urban Policy Bureau, has been appointed as Second Deputy Minister of Land and Transportation. Kwon has previously served as Director of the Financial Policy Bureau and Secretary General, while Jeong is a seasoned bureaucrat with experience in transportation and land policy.

Park Jeong-hyeon, former mayor of Buyeo, has been appointed as the chair of the Local Era Committee, a ministerial-level position.

Seong emphasized that "now is the time for execution," highlighting the importance of changes in people's lives and the results of reforms. He stated, "We will operate the government in a manner that is evaluated by actions, not words, and take responsibility for the outcomes."