President Lee Jae-myung on the 28th appointed current Korea Forest Service Vice Administrator Park Eun-sik as the new Administrator. It comes six days after former Administrator Kim In-ho was dismissed ex officio following a drunk driving accident that caused public uproar.
Cheong Wa Dae Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing that "Administrator Park is the right person to strengthen wildfire suppression capabilities and lead innovation at the Korea Forest Service," and stated accordingly.
Kang, the spokesperson, said, "We prioritized the appointment of the Korea Forest Service Administrator because it is closely tied to public safety," adding, "We expect the new Administrator to establish a systematic wildfire preparedness posture for the spring season and to strengthen wildfire response capabilities."
Administrator Park has led on site as acting Administrator during the wildfire suppression process in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, on the 23rd.