South Korea: Lee completes nomination of all Cabinet posts with culture, land minister nominees

Seoul, July 11 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has tapped a lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party as land minister and the head of a travel platform as culture minister, the presidential office said Friday, completing the nomination of all 19 members of his first Cabinet.

Rep. Kim Yun-duk of the ruling Democratic Party was tapped to lead the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Kang Hoon-sik, the presidential chief of staff, told reporters. Kim, a three-term lawmaker who has served on the National Assembly's Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee, is expected to address real estate issues from the perspective of ordinary citizens rather than as an academic or bureaucrat, according to the office.

"He is expected to actively carry out the president's pragmatic philosophy of protecting real housing demand and respecting market principles, while taking a firm stance against speculative practices that cause housing instability," Kang said.

In addition, Chae Hwi-young, the chief executive of travel platform Nol Universe, was named minister of culture, sports and tourism.

Nol Universe was launched in 2024 through the integration of Yanolja Platform and Interpark Triple, creating a comprehensive travel and leisure service. Chae previously served as the head of Interpark Triple and CEO of online service provider NHN, Yonhap news agency reported.

Chae is a fitting candidate to realise the president's vision for the cultural industry, thanks to his private-sector expertise and fresh perspective, Kang said.

By law, Cabinet appointments are subject to parliamentary hearings but do not require approval for appointment.

Further, President Lee Jae Myung presided over his first meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) since he took office early last month, the presidential office said.

Lee was briefed about security issues during the NSC meeting, the office said in a statement.

The NSC meeting came just a day after National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac returned from a four-day trip to the United States for discussions on trade negotiations and broader alliance issues in meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials.

--IANS

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