Korea Electric Power Corporation has formally launched the search for its next chief, with incumbent CEO Kim Dong-chul's term set to expire in about a month.
Because KEPCO presidents before Kim were drawn mainly from vice-minister-level officials at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, attention is now focused on whether the race will pit Honam-region political figures against energy-sector bureaucrats.
According to the public institution management disclosure system ALIO, KEPCO's executive recommendation committee posted the vacancy on Thursday and will accept applications through Saturday. The KEPCO president serves a three-year term, renewable annually based on performance.
Under the standard process for appointing heads of public institutions, the executive recommendation committee solicits candidates, the Ministry of Economy and Finance's Public Institution Management Committee reviews them, the board of directors votes, the relevant minister formally recommends a nominee, and the president makes the final appointment.
One notable aspect of this search is that the supervising ministry has shifted from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to the newly established Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment following a government reorganization.
Sources in government and the energy industry say the search is widely expected to follow the familiar pattern of effectively designating a candidate before the formal process begins. Appointments to public institution leadership posts frequently involve political loyalists or current and former officials from the supervising ministry, particularly after a change of administration.
Among the leading names being mentioned are Kang Ki-jung, the former Gwangju mayor who did not run in the June 3 local elections, former South Jeolla Province Governor Kim Young-rok, and Jeong Jae-hun, who served as president of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power under the Moon Jae-in administration.
Given that outgoing CEO Kim Dong-chul previously served as a National Assembly member from Gwangsan-gu in Gwangju, Kang and Kim Young-rok are seen as likely contenders for the post. Both have long political careers in the Gwangju-South Jeolla region, where KEPCO's headquarters is located and renewable energy facilities are heavily concentrated.
Jeong, a graduate of the 26th class of the civil service higher examination, stepped down as director of the energy and resources bureau at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy following a nationwide blackout. He was later appointed KHNP president under the Moon government, a tenure marked by controversy over a Board of Audit and Inspection probe into the early closure of the Wolsong Unit 1 reactor.
Meanwhile, the energy industry is calling for a next KEPCO chief who combines deep expertise in energy policy with strong public communication skills and political acumen. The sector faces urgent demands: achieving 100 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and building the power infrastructure needed to support major national projects.
The integration of five state-owned power generation companies will also require considerable organizational management and stakeholder coordination. Communication ability is another key criterion, as most of the challenges KEPCO faces — from resolving conflicts with local residents to bridging disagreements between regional governments — hinge on the capacity to engage and negotiate.
oskymoon@heraldcorp.com
