Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Ahn Gyu-back has been nominated by President Lee Jae Myung to lead the Ministry of National Defense. If appointed, he would become the first civilian to hold the post in 64 years.
Ahn, a former chair of the National Assembly’s Defense Committee, is considered one of the most knowledgeable lawmakers in the field of defense within the ruling party. His nomination is seen as aligning with President Lee's campaign pledge to appoint non-military personnel as defense minister.
Ahn was born in 1961 and is a five-term lawmaker from Gochang, North Jeolla Province. He graduated from Gwangju Seoseok High School and earned a degree in philosophy from Sungkyunkwan University. He began his career as a journalist and became deeply involved in the Democratic Party from the 1990s onward.
The nominee has spent most of his parliamentary career serving on the Defense Committee. He is recognized for his expertise in defense and security policy, having spearheaded legislation aimed at improving conditions for military personnel and supporting the development of the defense industry.
More recently, Rep. Ahn led the Democratic Party’s emergency martial law task force and chaired the special parliamentary committee investigating former President Yoon Suk Yeol's plotting and execution of a martial law declaration -- a move suspected of constituting insurrection.
shinjh@heraldcorp.com
