Could Ahn Gyu-back Be South Korea's First Civilian Defence Chief in 64 Years?

Seoul, June 23 (NationPress) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has officially appointed five-term lawmaker Ahn Gyu-back as the new Defence Minister, marking the first time in 64 years that a civilian has received this nomination, according to the presidential office.

This selection of Ahn is perceived as a fulfillment of Lee's electoral commitment to reform the military, a pivotal aspect of his campaign aimed at revitalizing a nation that has experienced turmoil due to the brief enforcement of martial law in December of the previous year under the ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The military has faced criticism since Yoon deployed troops to the National Assembly during his martial law declaration on December 3, which was allegedly intended to prevent lawmakers from obstructing his temporary martial law decree. Yoon was ultimately removed from office in April due to the controversies surrounding this martial law.

Ahn, a seasoned politician affiliated with the Democratic Party, has primarily served on the defence subcommittee of the National Assembly. If his confirmation proceeds, he will become the first civilian Defence Minister since 1961, when former President Park Chung-hee took control through a military coup.

"As the inaugural civilian Defence Minister in over six decades, Ahn is anticipated to spearhead and oversee the military's transformation that was mobilized during the martial law era," stated presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik during a press briefing.

Additionally, Lee appointed former Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun as South Korea's chief diplomat while announcing the nominations for 11 Cabinet positions, which include ministers for environmental issues, science, and labor, marking his latest appointments since taking office on June 4.

Lee selected Cho for the Foreign Minister role because he is viewed as the ideal candidate to tackle significant pending diplomatic matters, such as tariff discussions with the United States and Middle Eastern relations, according to Kang.

Cho, a distinguished diplomat, has held positions as both the first and second vice ministers under the Moon Jae-in administration before serving as the South Korean Ambassador to the United Nations from 2019 to 2022. He is recognized for his extensive background in multilateral diplomacy and trade matters.

Lee has also nominated Chung Dong-young, a journalist-turned-senior DP lawmaker, for the role of Unification Minister, responsible for inter-Korean relations. Chung previously held the Unification Minister position under the Roh Moo-hyun government from 2004 to 2005.

"Chung possesses unparalleled experience and a steadfast commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula. He is the right individual to foster dialogue with North Korea and to seek solutions for reducing tensions in the region," Kang remarked.

Bae Kyung-hoon, the head of LG AI Research, has been appointed as Minister for Science and ICT, while former conservative lawmaker Kwon Oh-eul has been selected as Minister for Veterans Affairs, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

Lee has also included incumbent DP lawmakers in his ministerial selections. Rep. Kim Sung-whan has been designated as Minister for the Environment, Rep. Kang Sun-woo as Minister for Gender Equality, and Rep. Jun Jae-soo as Oceans Minister.

Han Seong-sook, the former CEO of South Korea's major internet portal Naver Corp., has been appointed to lead the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

Kim Young-hoon, the former leader of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, has been selected as Labour Minister.

Song Mi-ryeong, the current Agriculture Minister who was appointed by Yoon, will maintain her position. Kang stated that this decision aligns with the Lee administration's "pragmatic" policy direction.

Lee has also named Yoon Chang-yul, the former first deputy director of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, as its director.

Kang emphasized that the nominees are expected to fulfill their responsibilities to build an administration that yields results consistent with Lee's focus on pragmatism and productivity.

"Specifically, they are anticipated to achieve concrete outcomes, such as in enhancing diplomacy rooted in national interests, mitigating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, addressing climate change, and developing Arctic shipping routes," Kang added.

While the nominees will face parliamentary confirmation hearings, this process is largely viewed as a formality since their appointments do not require the National Assembly's endorsement.

In South Korea, the only Cabinet position that necessitates parliamentary approval is that of the Prime Minister.