South Korea’s Lee Picks Koo Yoon-cheol as Finance Chief, Shakes Up Prosecution

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on 29 June nominated veteran technocrat Koo Yoon-cheol as finance minister, launching the first major reshuffle of his cabinet since taking office. Koo, who previously served as vice finance minister and most recently taught economics at Seoul National University, is expected to steer policy amid slowing growth and heightened trade frictions. The president simultaneously named five-term lawmaker Jeong Seong-ho to head the Justice Ministry and fellow Democratic Party stalwart Yun Ho-jung to lead the Interior and Safety Ministry. Additional nominees include Lee Jin-sook, former president of Chungnam National University, as education minister; Doosan Enerbility President Kim Jung-kwan as industry minister; and Jeong Eun-kyeong, former head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, as health minister. The six picks face parliamentary confirmation hearings, though a separate vote is not required. Personnel changes continued on 1 July when the Justice Ministry overhauled senior prosecutorial posts. Noh Man-seok was tapped as deputy prosecutor general, Jung Jin-woo was promoted to lead the influential Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office and reform-minded prosecutor Lim Eun-jeong was elevated to head the Seoul Eastern District office. Sung Sang-heon became director-general for criminal affairs at the ministry. The ministry said the reshuffle, which follows a string of resignations by senior prosecutors earlier in the week, is intended to align the prosecution service with the new administration’s policy priorities. The appointments are scheduled to take effect on 4 July once formal procedures are completed.