South Korean president-elect names eight Cabinet members

Seoul – South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has announced nominations for eight Cabinet posts in his new administration to be launched next month, including a former Joint Chiefs of Staff vice chairman, Lee Jong-sup, as defense minister.

Yoon told reporters on Sunday that he nominated Lee for his contribution to the development of the U.S.-South Korean alliance.

“We look forward to a practical defense policy that can flexibly cope with the fast-changing security environment,” Yoon said, adding that South Korea needs to strengthen its own deterrence against North Korean military provocations while making the most of the U.S. deterrence.

For land, infrastructure and transport minister, former Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong was named, with Yoon saying Won would work to stabilize the real estate market.

The current administration of President Moon Jae-in has been criticized for its failure to rein in surging real estate prices. Yoon, the candidate of the main opposition People Power Party in the presidential race in March, made the issue a key part in the campaign in which he defeated the ruling Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung.

Meanwhile, Yoon also named House of Representatives member Choo Kyung-ho as finance minister and Soongsil University professor Kim Hyun-sook as gender equality and family minister.

The president-elect pledged to abolish the gender equality and family ministry during the campaign, claiming that the role of the ministry was over, but has decided to maintain it for the time being.

Earlier this month, Yoon named former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to serve again as prime minister.

House of Representatives member Park Jin is widely expected to become foreign minister but his name was not announced Sunday.

The nominees are slated to undergo National Assembly hearings and assume their posts after Yoon takes office on May 10.