First woman named to head Land Ministry

Chosen as nominee for minister of land, infrastructure and transport, Rep. Kim Hyun-mee of the Democratic Party of Korea is a three-time lawmaker who has devoted much of her legislative career to economic issues.

The 55-year-old served as the chairwoman of the 20th National Assembly’s special committee on budget and accounts for a year from June last year. She was the first female lawmaker to head the powerful body that decides on the government budget. She also served on the 19th National Assembly’s strategy and finance committee from 2012 to 2014, representing her party, the New Politics Alliance for Democracy, a predecessor of the Democratic Party.

If she passes the parliamentary confirmation hearing, she will become the first woman to head the Land Ministry in Korea.

As a minister, Kim will take on the job of resolving housing issues as well as leading urban revival projects, said Moon’s spokesperson Park Soo-hyun.

Kim is a close associate of President Moon Jae-in and the late former President Roh Moo-hyun.

She co-headed the broadcast content team of Moon’s camp for the May 9 presidential election. When Moon was chairman of the Democratic Party in 2016, she was his chief of staff.

During the Roh administration, she worked as second presidential secretary for press and political affairs in the second half of 2003.

Born in Jeongup, North Jeolla Province, in 1962, she graduated from Yonsei University in 1985 with a major in political science and diplomacy.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoomi@heraldcorp.com)