President Lee Jae-myung on the 2nd appointed Oh Tae-seok, head of the Korea Institute of Science & Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), as the new Korea AeroSpace Administration Administrator.
Cheong Wa Dae Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung held a briefing at the Chunchugwan that day and said of the new Administrator Oh, "Since entering the then-Science and Technology Agency through the state civil service exam, Oh has spent 30 years working across key areas of science and technology policy as a traditional science and technology administrative official," and stated accordingly.
Spokesperson Kang said, "As first vice minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, the new Administrator Oh successfully led the Nuri rocket launch process as chairperson of the launch management committee, and has a deep understanding not only of space and aviation technology and industry but also of the Korea AeroSpace Administration's organization," adding, "Based on expertise in science and technology policy, Oh will lead the Republic of Korea to become a powerhouse in space and aviation."
The new director Oh is a traditional bureaucrat who has worked across the field of science and technology administration. Born in Sunchang, North Jeolla, Oh graduated from Jeonju High School and studied economics at Seoul National University. Oh entered public service in 1991 by passing the 35th state civil service exam and received a master's degree in technology management from the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom in 2002.
Since April last year, the new director Oh has served as head of the Korea Institute of Science & Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP). After serving as secretary to the Minister of Science and Technology, head of investment analysis and planning at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, head of university advancement, head of basic science policy, and director of industry-academia cooperation, Oh worked as senior administrative officer at the presidential office for science and technology and as director-general for research performance innovation policy and head of the Creative Economy Planning Bureau at the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning under the Park Geun-hye administration. From 2020, Oh led the support group of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science & Technology, then served as coordinator for science and technology innovation at the Ministry of Science and ICT in 2021, and was appointed first vice minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT in 2022. Oh also has extensive overseas experience, including at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and as consul general and minister-counselor at the Embassy in India.