Lee names new education, gender ministers
President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday nominated new heads of key ministries and agencies, including the Education Ministry, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and the National Education Commission, as part of a broader reshuffle to advance his administration’s policy goals. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the National Assembly.
For education minister, Lee tapped Choi Kyo-jin, superintendent of the Sejong Special Self-Governing City Office of Education. Choi is widely recognized as an education expert, having dedicated four decades to the field, from middle school teaching to leading a metropolitan education office.
He also served as president of the National Council of Superintendents of Education and as an adviser to the Presidential Committee for Balanced National Development, where he gained extensive experience in both primary and higher education policy.
The administration expects Choi will leverage his background to implement the administration’s education pledges, including the creation of 10 new universities in Seoul, the presidential office said.
Attorney Won Min-kyong, a standing member of the National Human Rights Commission and board member of the Korea Women’s Hotline, was named minister of gender equality and family.
A former chair of the Lawyers for a Democratic Society’s Women’s Rights Committee and adviser to the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, Won has built her career on advocating for women’s and marginalized groups’ rights.
Embracing the administration’s view that gender conflict must be addressed for social progress, she has pledged to foster an inclusive and integrated approach to gender equality.
The nominee for chairperson of the National Education Commission is Cha Jeong-in, a professor at Pusan National University School of Law and former president of the university.
Cha has also led the Council of National Flagship University Presidents and has a reputation for combining legal expertise with a strong human rights sensibility.
The nomination came roughly a month after Lee rescinded his choice of Lee Jin-sook for education minister amid accusations of plagiarism and illegal overseas education for her children, and after Rep. Kang Sun-woo stepped down as the nominee for gender equality minister following allegations of abusing her aides.
Two months into Lee’s presidency, both the education and gender equality ministries have been vacant.
Lee also appointed vice-minister level officials, including Lee Mi-seon as the head of the Korea Meteorological Administration, Kim Chang-seop as the third deputy director of the National Intelligence Service, Bang Yong-seung as secretary-general of the National Unification Advisory Council, and Jung Han-joong as chairperson of the Appeals Commission.
