{"id":2201538,"date":"2023-06-30T08:00:21","date_gmt":"2023-06-29T23:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201538"},"modified":"2023-06-29T19:29:07","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T10:29:07","slug":"in-cabinet-shuffle-yoon-appoints-conservative-scholar-as-unification-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/06\/in-cabinet-shuffle-yoon-appoints-conservative-scholar-as-unification-minister\/","title":{"rendered":"Yoon appoints conservative scholar as unification minister in cabinet shuffle"},"content":{"rendered":"
In an <\/span>announcement<\/span><\/a> on Thursday, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol appointed Kim Yung-ho, a professor of political science and diplomacy at Sungshin Women\u2019s University, as the new unification minister. Kim, also the chair of the unification ministry\u2019s Unification Future Planning Committee, pledged to work toward resolving the DPRK nuclear issue and enhancing \u201ca foundation for improving inter-Korean relations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n This appointment comes amid <\/span>speculations<\/span><\/a> that current unification minister Kwon Young-se, a former four-term lawmaker, is planning to run in April\u2019s parliamentary elections. Kwon will be the first minister to step down from Yoon\u2019s Cabinet.<\/span><\/p>\n Dear readers,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n At KOREA PRO, we are committed to providing engaging and informative content tailored to our discerning audience. Recognizing the significance of your perspectives in enriching our offerings, we cordially extend an invitation for your participation in a brief <\/span><\/i>5-minute survey<\/span><\/i><\/a>. This opportunity allows us to capture your invaluable feedback and insights, which we greatly appreciate and consider integral to our ongoing commitment to service excellence.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Why It Matters<\/b><\/p>\n Before his official appointment as unification minister by President Yoon Suk-yeol, Kim Yung-ho will undergo a series of confirmation hearings in parliament. These hearings are expected to be challenging due to Kim\u2019s previous comments concerning North Korea. Originally a left-leaning scholar who spent <\/span>10 months in prison<\/span><\/a> for his participation in the pro-democracy protests of 1987, Kim underwent a significant ideological transformation to become a conservative thinker associated with South Korea\u2019s <\/span>New Right movement<\/span><\/a>. This shift was largely influenced by his <\/span>overseas studies<\/span><\/a> and research on the Korean War.<\/span><\/p>\n Kim, a notable critic of former President Moon Jae-in, has declared that a \u201c<\/span>hostile<\/span><\/a>\u201d relationship exists between the two Koreas. He has suggested that the Kim Jong Un regime should be \u201c<\/span>toppled<\/span><\/a>\u201d to pave the way for a unified Korea under a single system led by Seoul. Further, in 2007, Kim <\/span>proposed<\/span><\/a> merging the unification ministry with the foreign ministry. This proposal was briefly considered during then-President Lee Myung-bak\u2019s transition team but was later rejected due to strong opposition. Despite the potentially contentious confirmation hearings, Yoon is likely to appoint Kim regardless of parliamentary objections. Such hearings have often been <\/span>criticized<\/span><\/a> as a mere formality, with president<\/span>s generally able to override parliamentary dissent with relative ease.<\/span><\/p>\n