President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a press conference at the National Assembly Library in Seoul, Republic of Korea, March 10, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
SEOUL – The Republic of Korea’s incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol picked close adviser Park Jin to be foreign minister among a slew of cabinet nominations on Wednesday, as he readies to face challenges from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea’s long-range missile activities.
The eight minsterial nominations by Yoon, who will take office on May 10, cover education, unification, justice, and environment.
The eight minsterial nominations by incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol, who will take office on May 10, cover education, unification, justice, and environment
Park, 65, is expected to use his extensive foreign policy experience to help normalize diplomatic efforts that "remain deadlocked," Yoon told a news conference.
"He has the best expertise and experience in the foreign affairs and security fields."
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The four-term lawmaker recently led a team of Yoon's advisers who visited the United States for talks on ways to frame a response to the DPRK as it steps up weapons tests.
Park missed the nomination event, however, after having tested positive for COVID-19 on his return from the US.
In a statement, Park cited DPRK weapons tests, geopolitical tensions, and the global supply chain crisis among "a host of challenges" for the Yoon administration.
"I feel heavy responsibility to be nominated as foreign minister at a time when the geopolitical situation is changing rapidly," he added in the statement issued to reporters.
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Yoon nominated as his unification minister Kwon Young-se, 63, a former chairman of the parliament intelligence panel, who will also handle relations between the neighbors.
Kwon, a prosecutor-turned-politician and four-term lawmaker, was ambassador to China from 2013 to 2015.
Cabinet nominees besides the prime minister are subject to parliamentary confirmation hearings but do not require approval.