Yoon names chiefs of tax, fire, weather authorities

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday announced picks for four vice-ministerial officials including chiefs of the tax, fire and weather agencies, as well as first vice minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination amid reports that he might carry a major Cabinet reshuffle soon.

Kang Min-soo, who heads the Seoul Regional Tax Office, was nominated as the new chief of the National Tax Agency.

Kang, 56 is the only vice-ministerial official out of four named Thursday to go through the parliamentary hearing at the National Assembly. The other three will start in their new roles early next week.

Heo Seok-gon, a career firefighting official for the past three decades who leads the Busan Metropolitan City Fire Disaster Headquarters, will lead the National Fire Agency as its fire commissioner.

The Korea Meteorological Administration's Vice Administrator Chang Dong-eon will be promoted to its new Administrator with Yoon's nomination.

Also, Kim Jong-moon, secretary to the president for national agenda, will succeed Park Ku-yeon to serve as the first deputy chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination.

This follows Yoon's decision a week before to name three vice-ministerial officials who do not require a parliamentary hearing. On June 20, presidential secretary for climate and environment Lee Byoung-hwa was named as the vice minister of environment. Kim Min-suk, Yoon's secretary for labor and employment, was also named as the vice labor minister. Industry Minister spokesperson Kim Wan-ki was named to lead the Korean Intellectual Property Office, filling a seat that had been empty for five months.

More vice ministerial appointments will follow, as Yoon Hee-keun, commissioner general of the Korean National Police Agency, is set to end his two-year term in August.

In addition, Yoon is expected to carry out a reshuffle as he hinted at replacing ministers who had stayed in their posts for more than two years since his inauguration.

Minister nominees can be appointed without the National Assembly's consent, although they have to go through a parliamentary hearing.

By contrast, vice-ministerial officials do not need to go through a National Assembly hearing, making it easier for Yoon to go through the nomination process as the parliament is now controlled by his liberal opposition parties.