Ahn Duk-geun tapped as new industry minister

Politics

Published: 17 Dec. 2023, 15:41 Updated: 17 Dec. 2023, 18:09

Ahn Duk-geun tapped as new industry minister

Minister for Trade Ahn Duk-geun, named the new minister of Trade, Industry and Energy by President Yoon Suk Yeol, speaks to reporters at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul on Sunday. [YONHAP]

President Yoon Suk Yeol tapped Minister for Trade Ahn Duk-geun as new head of the Ministry Trade, Industry and Energy on Sunday.

The promotion of Ahn, an expert in international trade and commerce, comes as current Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Bang Moon-kyu is expected to step down to run in next April's general elections.

"Based on the candidate's proven ability to carry out tasks and his abundant domestic and international networks, he is expected to lead the expansion of Korea's economic power by swiftly promoting export-oriented and core strategic industries and innovation in industrial regulations to revitalize our economy," Kim Dae-ki, presidential chief of staff, announced in a press briefing in the Yongsan presidential office on this day.

A native of Daegu, Ahn received his bachelor's degree in international economics at Seoul National University (SNU) and earned a J.D. and a doctorate in economics at the University of Michigan.

He previously served as a professor at the state-run Korea Development Institute's School of Public Policy and Management and as a professor at SNU's Graduate School of International Studies.

Ahn served as an economic expert on Yoon's presidential transition committee before becoming his first trade minister.

He has also served as an adviser to the Foreign Ministry and the Industry Ministry.

As the Yoon government’s first trade negotiator, Ahn is credited as having focused on efforts to diversify supply chains and also played a role in leading Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Trade-Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) negotiations with countries across the globe.

“I will do my best to help our companies lead in innovation and grow dynamically in the global market by communicating more closely with them based on the global network I have built as the trade minister,” Ahn told reporters at the presidential office.

Ahn’s nomination comes just three months after Bang assumed the industry minister post in September.

The latest announcement comes amid a large-scale reshuffle in Yoon's Cabinet ahead of next year's parliamentary elections and as the administration gears up to follow up on key national policies and reforms.

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