Seasoned bureaucrat to lead Oceans Ministry

Cho Seung-hwan, a former senior official at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries who spent more than 20 years in maritime services, was tapped to head the ministry under the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol government.

“Cho is a maritime expert with an unmatched depth of experience spearheading many projects under previous governments. I expect him to find new opportunities for the maritime industry and map out plans to make the country a leading maritime power,” Yoon said.

Cho, who served as chief policymaker for the ministry and as president of the ministry’s R&D arm after leaving the government, is best known for his role in successfully dealing with fallout from the bankruptcy of local container shipper Hanjin Shipping in 2017.

Cho’s appointment comes at a time when the shipping industry is going through a major transition in line with the green drive and digitalization.

The nominee said in a statement that he would help the local maritime industry build a state-of-the-art logistics system and revitalize the fisheries market.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)