Naver alumnus tapped to lead Busan IT Promotion Agency; two institutions to reopen recruitment
Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo on Tuesday appointed heads for seven of the 12 city-affiliated public institutions that have been without permanent leadership, including the chief of the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency.
The first four appointments are: Kim Jong-cheol, a Naver alumnus and chief executive of AI Collabo, as head of the Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency; Kim Su-jin, vice president of Rokit Healthcare, as head of the Busan Technology Startup Investment Agency; Song Seong-jun, former Busan bureau chief of SBS's news division, as chief executive of the Busan Cultural Foundation; and Kim Yun-gyu, a professor of theater studies at Cheongju University, as chief executive of the Busan Cultural Center.
Three additional appointments were also confirmed: Kim Jeong-a, chief executive of J.Comms, as head of the Busan Global City Foundation; Kim Yun-gyeong, a professor of advertising and brand design at Kaywon University of Art and Design, as head of the Busan Design Promotion Agency; and Cho Jun-yeong, a former Geumjeong-gu council member, as head of the Busan Women and Family Lifelong Education Promotion Agency.
The seven newly appointed heads are scheduled to receive their appointment certificates at a ceremony at City Hall on Thursday morning. The appointments come roughly two months after the terms of heads at 12 city-affiliated institutions expired simultaneously on June 30, when former Mayor Park Heong-joon's term ended and a city ordinance governing the tenure of executives at city-invested and city-funded institutions took effect.
In preparation, each institution had reviewed mandatory appointment procedures — including holding board meetings and updating internal regulations — before the executive terms expired in June, and has been running open recruitment and screening processes through candidate recommendation committees since July.
The newly appointed heads are predominantly people born in the 1970s with experience in both the public and private sectors. "We selected individuals with not only expertise and on-the-ground experience, but also the young leadership needed to drive change and innovation," a city official said.
Meanwhile, three institutions whose outgoing heads' terms also ended June 30 — the Busan Credit Guarantee Foundation, the Busan Economic Promotion Agency and Busan Techno Park — are subject to City Council confirmation hearings and are expected to have their new heads appointed in October. The Busan Cinema Center and the Busan Science and Technology Higher Education Promotion Agency will reopen their recruitment processes.
"I hope the newly appointed heads will place public interest, integrity and accountability above all else, and dedicate themselves to stabilizing their organizations and advancing key projects, drawing on the expertise and experience they have built in their respective fields — industry, culture, the arts and education," Mayor Jeon said.
kaf2002@heraldcorp.com
