Veteran actor named special adviser for culture, sports and tourism

Yoo In-chon, a veteran actor and former culture minister, is named as the new special presidential adviser for culture and sports on Thursday. [NEWS1]

President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed veteran actor Yoo In-chon, a former culture minister, as his special adviser for culture, sports and tourism Thursday, said his office.

Yoo, a TV and stage actor who has received numerous Baeksang Arts Awards, served as culture minister from 2008 to 2011 during the Lee Myung-bak administration.

During his time as culture minister, Kim Dae-ki, Yoon's chief of staff, served as second vice culture minister from 2009 to 2010.

Even after stepping down as culture minister, he continued to serve as a special adviser to Lee and later became chairman of Seoul Arts Center.

A native of Jeonju in North Jeolla, Yoo is a graduate of Chung-Ang University who majored in theater and film and began his acting career in 1974 through broadcaster MBC's talent recruiting program.

Yoo is expected to contribute his deep understanding of the culture and art world and his extensive experience in his new post, having advised Yoon even before the launch of his administration.

President Yoon has often named former Lee Myung-bak government officials to key posts in his administration.

Yoon also named Cho Hong-sun, an official of the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), as the antitrust regulator's vice chairman, according to the presidential office in a statement.

Ko Kwang-hyo, a tax official at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, was named as head of the Korea Customs Service.

Kim Yoon-sang, another Finance Ministry official, was named as head of the Public Procurement Service, and Lee Hyoung-il, a deputy finance minister, was tapped as the new commissioner of Statistics Korea.

The latest appointments also included Kim Kyung-ann, head of the People Power Party's North Jeolla chapter as administrator of the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency and Kang Hee-up, a standing member of the Metropolitan Transport Commission, as its new chair.

Yoon last week announced a series of vice ministerial appointments and also replaced his unification minister.

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