New vice health minister, customs chief appointed in reshuffle

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday carried out a vice minister-level reshuffle, appointing a new first vice minister of health and welfare, a new Korea Customs Service commissioner and four other senior government officials.

According to Cheong Wa Dae, Health Ministry spokesperson Hyun Soo-yeop was appointed first vice minister of health and welfare, while vice commissioner of the Korea Customs Service Lee Jong-wook was promoted to commissioner.

The reshuffle came before some of their predecessors had served a full year in office, prompting speculation that the move amounted to a de facto dismissal.

Lee Kyu-yeon, senior presidential secretary for public communication, denied the claim.

“About a year has passed, and the personnel reshuffle was needed for the administration to progress in a renewed and more forward-looking direction,” Lee said.

“The newly appointed vice ministers and agency heads are expected to establish faster and more advanced policies,” he added.

Lee described Hyun as a child care expert who previously held several posts related to children and child care policy. He said she contributed to improving working conditions for teachers and introducing extended-hour child care programs at day care centers.

He also noted that Hyun is a mother of four.

Regarding Lee Jong-wook, the presidential office said he had built expertise through key posts within the customs agency and played a role in blocking large-scale illegal transshipment exports and cracking down on drug smuggling in cooperation with Thai authorities.

The president also appointed Mun Seong-yo, a former senior official at the Land Ministry, as head of the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency. Hong Mi-young, a former lawmaker, was named chair of the National Commission on Sustainable Development.

Paik Jong-woo, a professor at Kyung Hee University, was appointed vice chair of the National Committee for People’s Lives and Safety, while Kim Gi-yeong, a professor at Yonsei University, was named chair of the National Library Committee.