Yoon Suk Yeol names new unification minister

Kim Yung-ho, left, and Jang Mi-ran

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday conducted a wide-ranging reshuffling of ministers and vice ministers, including his unification minister, as he enters his second year in office.

Kim Yung-ho, a political science professor at Sungshin Women's University, was tapped to replace current Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, a former lawmaker, according to Kim Dae-ki, presidential chief of staff, in a press briefing.

Kim Hong-il, a lawyer at Shin & Kim and former prosecutor, was named as the new head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, a minister-level position. Kim replaces the commission's current chairperson, Jeon Hyun-heui, who was appointed by the previous Moon Jae-in government and concluded her three-year term this week.

This marks the first major reshuffling of ministers and vice ministers since Yoon took office in May 2022.

Weightlifting champion Jang Mi-ran, who won gold in the women's over 75-kilogram category in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and is a professor of physical education at Yong In University, was named second vice culture minister.

Oh Young-ju, a seasoned diplomat and ambassador to Vietnam, was named foreign vice minister, a first for a woman.

Other replacements were made mostly at the vice minister level, including Moon Seoung-hyun, ambassador to Thailand, as vice unification minister, Kim Wan-sub as vice finance minister and Cho Seong-kyung as vice minister of science and ICT.

Vice ministers were also replaced in the ministries of agriculture, environment, labor, land, oceans and SMEs.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]