Park Jeong-seong (55, photo), Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources vice minister for trade, was appointed Trade Minister at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources on the 21st. Park, the Deputy Minister, is regarded as a "traditional trade bureaucrat" who has served in key posts across trade and commerce policy for nearly 30 years.
Born in 1972 in Daegu, the Deputy Minister Park graduated from Gyeongwon High School in Daegu and Seoul National University with a degree in economics. Entering public service by passing the 40th higher civil service exam, Park served as co-chair of negotiations on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Investment Facilitation Agreement, chief working-level representative for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources U.S. tariff negotiations task force, and head of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources Trade and Investment Office.
As the first person from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) to serve as deputy ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Park, after the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration, became head of the Trade and Investment Office and was then appointed vice minister for trade, later also serving as acting head of the Office of the Minister for Trade.
While serving as vice minister for trade, the Deputy Minister Park has overseen working-level management of U.S.-related tariff and investment negotiations. As such, Park is considered the right person to maintain continuity in negotiations related to U.S. trade issues.
Going forward, the Deputy Minister Park is expected to serve as the working-level control tower on major domestic and external trade issues. Not only the first U.S. investment project but also sensitive trade issues such as the United States' Section 301 investigation under its trade law and the Coupang issue are piling up.
▲ 1972, Daegu ▲ Department of Economics, Seoul National University ▲ 40th higher civil service exam ▲ Nova Southeastern University Law School, United States ▲ Co-chair of negotiations on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Investment Facilitation Agreement ▲ Chief working-level representative, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources U.S. tariff negotiations task force ▲ Head of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources Trade and Investment Office