President Lee Appoints New Heads for Trade Negotiation and Fire Service

President Lee Jae-myung has appointed Park Jeong-seong, formerly the Deputy Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy, as the new head of the Trade Negotiation Headquarters. Choi Yong-cheol, previously the Deputy Commissioner of the Fire Service, has been named the new Fire Commissioner.

The presidential office, through spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong, highlighted Park's extensive experience, noting his nearly three decades in key trade and commerce roles, including Director-General for Trade Investment and Deputy Minister. His background includes co-chairing the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement negotiations and serving as the lead negotiator for the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations. These experiences are expected to equip him to skillfully navigate complex trade issues and maximize national interests, especially given the current pressing trade matters with the U.S.

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Deputy Minister Park Jeong-seong has served in key positions in the trade and investment field for nearly 30 years, including as Director-General for Trade Investment and Deputy Minister for Trade, Industry and Energy. Based on his experience co-chairing the WTO Investment Facilitation Agreement negotiations and serving as the chief working-level representative for the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations, he is expected to resolve complex trade issues with sophisticated negotiation strategies.

Park's appointment follows the dismissal of his predecessor, Yeo Han-koo, on August 15. The presidential office also emphasized Choi's qualifications as a fire service expert, citing his 27 years of experience in both frontline rescue operations and key policy departments, including his prior role as acting head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Fire and Disaster Headquarters. His appointment aligns with the administration's national goal of prioritizing public life and safety through robust disaster prevention and response systems.

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He is a fire service expert who has served in roles such as acting head of the Gyeonggi Provincial Fire and Disaster Headquarters and Deputy Commissioner of the Fire Service, having worked in frontline rescue sites and key policy departments for 27 years. It is expected that he will establish a thorough disaster prevention and response system in line with the national goal of 'prioritizing the lives and safety of the people' in all areas of state affairs.