President Moon Jae-in on Thursday appointed five vice minister-level officials, including the first and second vice ministers of foreign affairs.

In the reshuffle, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun was appointed as the first vice minister of foreign affairs, and his place was filled by Moon’s trade affairs secretary Lee Tae-ho.

Cho is a career diplomat who has served as second vice minister since June last year. Lee is also a career diplomat, and served as deputy minister for economic affairs and as the head of the ministry’s free trade agreement policy bureau. 

Moon named Korea Gas Corporation CEO Cheong Seung-il as vice minister of trade, industry and energy. Before taking the Korea Gas Corporation post, Cheong served with the Trade Ministry, holding various posts including that of the chief of the Office of Energy and Resources.

Along with the three vice ministers, Moon named new heads of the Korea Intellectual Property Office and Korea National Diplomatic Academy.

For the post of Korea Intellectual Property Office commissioner, Moon named Park Won-joo, who currently heads the Foreign Ministry’s Office of Energy and Resources.

The post of Korea National Diplomatic Academy chancellor will be filled by Cho Sei-young, a Dongseo University professor and head of the institution’s Japan Center.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)