On the 23rd, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung nominated candidates for ministers of several departments in the new government.
At a press conference held that day, Kang Hun, Chief Presidential Secretary, announced the candidate list for the new government's first cabinet formation. Among them, former First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun was nominated as the candidate for Minister of Foreign Affairs. Democratic Party lawmaker Ahn Gyu-baek was nominated as the candidate for Minister of National Defense, and Democratic Party lawmaker Chung Dong-young was nominated as the candidate for Minister of Unification.
This is also the first time in 64 years that a civilian official has been nominated as Defense Minister in South Korea.
Kang Hun-sik stated that Cho Hyun served as the Second Vice Minister and First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, has extensive experience in both bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, and is also highly knowledgeable about trade issues. He will actively address tariff negotiations and Middle East issues. Chung Dong-young is deemed a suitable candidate to create conditions for dialogue with North Korea and to seek to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
In addition, Lee Jae-myung also nominated candidates for several other departments, including the Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and Ministry of SMEs and Startups.
According to South Korean law, all cabinet nominees must undergo a parliamentary hearing. Except for the Prime Minister, nominees may be formally appointed regardless of whether the National Assembly approves the nomination.