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Anticorruption body gets a dentist-lawyer chairperson

Published: 26 Jun. 2020, 17:11 Updated: 26 Jun. 2020, 18:19

From left, Jeon Hyun-heui, who's been named by President Moon Jae-in to lead the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission; Han Sang-hyuk, chairman of the Korea Communications Commission; and Kim Chang-yong, picked as the new commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency. [YONHAP]

President Moon Jae-in has picked a former two-term ruling party lawmaker as new head of Korea's state anticorruption body, the Blue House announced Friday.

Jeon Hyun-heui, who was defeated in April 15 parliamentary elections as a candidate for the Democratic Party, is to replace Pak Un Jong as chairperson of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC), a minister-grade position. Pak is retiring at the end of this month.

Before joining the political world, Jeon was a dentist and a lawyer.

The Blue House cited her expertise and wide-ranging experience in the political, legal and medical service fields.

"Also with the strong determination for reform that she has shown so far, [Jeon] is the right person to complete the anticorruption and fair reform [drive], enhance national transparency and resolve social conflicts," presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said.

Kim Chang-yong, head of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, will be promoted to the post of commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, according to Kang. The current police chief Min Gap-ryong is scheduled to finish his two-year term next month.

Kim graduated from the Korean National Police University in 1988 and served at the Blue House in the 2000s under the Roh Moo-hyun administration.

Moon also decided to keep Han Sang-hyuk, a former lawyer, in his current job as chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, the government's media regulation arm. He took up the minister-level position last year as his predecessor Lee Hyo-sung abruptly stepped down.

The Blue House spokesman said Han is expected to "cope actively with rapidly changing broadcasting, communication and media fusion circumstances," given his expertise and experience in state affairs.

Kim and Han are required to go through confirmation hearings at the National Assembly. But lawmakers' approval is not imperative for the president's appointment of the nominees.

Yonhap