President Lee Jae-myung on the 28th appointed former Bareunmirae Party lawmaker Kim Sung-sik as vice chair of the National Economic Advisory Council. Lee Kyung-soo, chairperson of Inable Fusion, was appointed vice chair of the Science and Technology Advisory Council.
Lee Kyu-yeon, senior secretary for public relations and communication at the presidential office, held a briefing at Chunchugwan in the Blue House on the afternoon of the same day and announced the appointments.
The National Economic Advisory Council is a presidential body in the economic field that directly advises the president on major economic policies. President Lee serves as chair, and the former lawmaker serves as Minister-level vice chair.
Vice Chair Kim graduated from the Department of Economics at Seoul National University and is classified as a centrist politician who served in the 18th and 20th National Assembly. Kim served as secretary of the National Assembly Strategy and Finance Committee and as Chairperson of the Special Committee on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, among other roles.
Lee Kyung-soo, chairperson of Inable Fusion, appointed as vice chair of the Science and Technology Advisory Council, graduated from the Department of Physics at Seoul National University and received a master's degree and a doctorate from the University of Chicago and the University of Texas at Austin, respectively. Lee has since served as head of the National Fusion Research Institute and as deputy director-general of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor international organization, and is regarded as an expert in nuclear research.
Lee said, "Vice Chair Kim is a figure recognized for outstanding policy capability," adding, "Kim is assessed as someone who will lead various innovation tasks, including overcoming the structural economic crisis and the AI transition."
Lee continued, "Vice Chair Lee is a world-renowned scholar in fusion who has devoted nearly 40 years to fusion research, cited as a next-generation energy source," adding, "We expect Lee will help Korea leap to become one of the world's top three AI powers and top five science and technology powers."