Impact Players

Informing audiences about key policy makers in issue areas of importance to U.S.-Korea relations.

On August 30, 2017, Lee Su-hoon, a Northeast Asia expert, was nominated as South Korea’s new ambassador to Japan. He will be replacing Lee Joon-gyu, the current ambassador, who took the office on July 8, 2016.

Woo is a veteran politician who has held several major posts in the National Assembly during his three consecutive terms as a lawmaker since 2004. Prior to assuming the position as secretary general, he served as a representative of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD), now the Democratic Party of Korea, from October 2014 to May 2015. After the April 16, 2014, Sewol ferry incident, Woo was at the forefront of efforts to develop the “Special Bills on the Sewol Ferry Incident” as a chief policymaker of the NPAD. In 2012, he directed the presidential campaign for the current president, Moon Jae-in, who was then running as the Democratic Party of Korea’s nominee. Woo was first elected as a lawmaker in 2004 for the 17th National Assembly in his home city, Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province.

On August  30, 2017, Cho Yoon-je was nominated as the Republic of Korea (ROK)’s next ambassador to the United States of America by Cheong Wa Dae. Cho is currently a visiting professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). He is also part of the emeritus faculty at Sogang University’s Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS).

Jeong has had an extensive career in the military serving in the ROKAF and the ROK JCS. Prior to his current post, he served as the 35th Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Chief of Staff since 2015. He played a crucial role in enhancing South Korea’s defense capabilities by overseeing the deployment of F-35A fighter jets in October 2016 and air-to-ground Taurus missiles in December 2016 to deter North Korea’s growing nuclear and missile threats. Jeong also has direct experience in working with the ROK JCS, having served as Chief Director (J-5) from April 2015 to September 2015.

Prior to his DAPA appointment, Jeon was a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Korea’s National Defense University and a Research Fellow for the Korean Institute for Defense Analysis (KIDA). Jeon also brings ample government experience from serving in the Repubic of Korea (ROK) Ministry of National Defense from 1980 to 2009. 

On July 30, 2017, Kim Hyun-chong was appointed as the Trade Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE). He will be the head of the Ministry’s Office of International Trade and Investment.

Cho Myung-gyon took office as South Korea’s 39th Minister of Unification on July 3, 2017. He was nominated by President Moon Jae-in on June 13 and approved by the National Assembly on June 29. Minister Cho replaced Hong Yong-pyo, who had previously held the office from February 17, 2015 through May 10, 2017.

Kim played a crucial role in shaping President Moon’s economic policies during the presidential campaign related to corporate reform. Prior to the elections, Kim had experience in civic advocacy and academia. In 2015, Kim Sang-jo became head of the Financial Research Center of Korea. In 2006, Kim became the director of Solidarity for Economic Reform, a civic group focused on improving corporate governance and advocating for consumer rights.

On Sunday, June 11, 2017, President Moon Jae-in nominated Song Young-moo to be the new minister of the Ministry of National Defense. He officially took office on Friday, July 14, 2017. Song Young-moo is a retired navy admiral, who most recently was Chair Professor of the Military and Police College at Konyang University, since 2013. Song was President Moon Jae-in’s top security adviser on defense issues during his 2017 presidential campaign, reprising his role in Moon’s 2012 presidential campaign.