[비즈한국] On the 6th, his third day in office, President Lee Jae-myung appointed senior secretaries to the Presidential Office and carried out a reorganization plan. President Lee announced the details through Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik that afternoon.
Kim Yong-beom, former First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, was appointed as the Presidential Policy Chief. The new Policy Chief previously served as a senior economist at the World Bank and as the First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance. Chief of Staff Kang introduced him, stating, "(The new Chief) has a profound understanding of overall economic policy, an international perspective, and experience in crisis management during the COVID-19 pandemic, making him the right person to realize the President's pledges and overcome livelihood crises."
Ha Joon-kyung, a professor at Hanyang University, was appointed as Senior Secretary for Economic Growth. The new Senior Secretary is known for his expertise in macroeconomics and industrial policy, and he is considered to have a deep understanding of the President’s economic growth philosophy, having participated in the process of formulating President Lee Jae-myung's campaign pledges.
Ryu Deok-hyun, a professor at Chung-Ang University, was appointed as the newly created cabinet-level position of Fiscal Planning Aide. Introduced as a top-tier fiscal expert, the new aide will be responsible for formulating fiscal policies aimed at restoring public livelihoods and revitalizing the economy. Moon Jin-young, a professor at Sogang University, was appointed as Senior Secretary for Social Affairs. Given his deep understanding of welfare systems and his history of proposing effective policies such as the introduction of child allowances, he is expected to give concrete shape to the President's vision of a welfare state.
Chief of Staff Kang stated that President Lee Jae-myung prioritized professional expertise in relevant fields and the ability to start work immediately to produce results in this staff selection. He also conveyed that the President urged his staff to "do your utmost to achieve tangible results that the public can feel in these difficult times, with the determination to fight a decisive battle against anxiety."
A presidential office reorganization plan was also announced. The State Affairs Situation Room will be expanded and reorganized to serve as the control tower for state administration, and the National Crisis Management Center will be transferred from under the Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office to be under the direct control of the National Security Office Director.
The Office of the Secretary for State Affairs and the Office of the Secretary for Policy Coordination, which had overlapping duties, will be merged, and the new cabinet-level position of Fiscal Planning Aide has been created. Chief of Staff Kang stated, "The Fiscal Planning Aide will be responsible for fiscal strategy to implement national tasks, ensuring that the President's governance philosophy is realized in the field with completeness."
The Office of the Senior Secretary for Civil Society, which handles conflict mediation and promotes social dialogue, will be expanded into the Office of the Senior Secretary for Listening and Integration, and a Youth Liaison Officer will be established under it to actively collect opinions from the younger generation.
The Office of the Senior Secretary for AI and Future Planning is also being newly established to handle growth strategies such as becoming one of the top three AI powers and future tasks. It plans to focus on fostering the AI industry, advancing high-tech technology, and addressing population and climate crisis issues.
The Secretary for Gender Equality and Family, which was abolished during the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, will be expanded into the Secretary for Gender Equality and Family, and the Secretary for State Records will be restored.
A Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries, responsible for the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan and the development of Arctic sea routes, and a Secretary for Judicial Systems, in charge of tasks related to the prosecution and the judiciary, will also be newly created. A Management Secretary position will be established as a temporary body to oversee the return of the Presidential Office to the Blue House.
Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik stated, "We will reorganize the Presidential Office to be responsible, future-oriented, and competent, making it an organization that works for the people," adding, "We will not waste a single second and will devote ourselves to work solely for the people and the nation."