Kim Jeong-gwan, the Minister candidate for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, said on the 17th that he is "worried" about the separation of the energy institutional sector from the ministry to reorganize it into the Ministry of Climate and Energy.
During a National Assembly confirmation hearing, when Kim was asked by Lee Jong-bae, a member of the People Power Party, "What is your position on the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy?", he replied, "I think industry and energy are inextricably linked to each other."
The establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy is one of President Lee Jae-myung's key pledges. The plan is to integrate the climate duties of the Ministry of Environment and the energy duties of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to create a "control tower for responding to the climate crisis."
He noted, "I understand it is being decided by the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning and the Presidential Office," but added, "Since it is important to respond to climate change, I think policy momentum is necessary, and it is important to have a system that can organically consolidate industry and energy and operate it effectively."
When Kim Seong-won, a member of the People Power Party, asked for confirmation, "Can I understand that as opposition?", Kim hesitated for a moment and replied, "I do have concerns."
In response to a question from Lee Eun-joo, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, saying, "Isn't it a risky idea to separate energy policy from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which oversees it?", the candidate said, "Energy and industry are inextricably linked."