President Park Geun-hye on Thursday named information and communications technology expert and KAIST professor Choi Mun-kee to head the new science ministry, which is at the center of political disputes over government reorganization.

Park also nominated Han Man-soo, Ewha Womans University law professor with expertise in the tax system, as chief of the Fair Trade Commission.

Both were founding members of Park’s think tank Institute for the Nation’s Future.

“Expertise was prioritized (in the selection). The reason should be apparent by looking at their careers,” said Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Yoon Chang-jung.

The designation of Choi, a KAIST professor, came after a voluntary resignation on March 4 by Park’s first choice, Kim Jeong-hoon, who returned to the U.S. citing his disappointment with Korea’s confrontational politics, which delayed the launch of the new government.

The rival parties have been locking horns over the new government reorganization plans, namely whether the Future Planning and Science Ministry should take on the role of overseeing cable channels and other broadcasting outlets. Kim, a successful Korean-American IT entrepreneur, had also been facing heat for his nationality and capacity to head the super-ministry.

Observers said Park’s second choice appears to be a safer one, considering Choi’s extensive experience and expertise in communications, in order to spearhead the government’s move to converge information and communications technology and science technology.

While he mostly remained in academia, the science professor has also maintained high-profile activities such as by leading the state-run Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute between 2006 and 2009 and serving as deputy chief of the Korean Institute of Communications and Information Science in 2008-2009.

Choi’s tasks, aimed to activate a creation-based economy to uncover new growth engines and create jobs, are expected to be extensive such as to streamline the scattered R&D of science technology at universities and individual research centers and supporting ICT convergence to foster venture businesses.

With his appointment, Park has completed the lineup for the 17 ministries.

Han, meanwhile, is well-known for his specialty in tax system and thus has been dubbed as a likely candidate to head the National Tax Service instead.

Known for his outspoken criticism of the former Lee Myung-bak government’s tax policy, Han is to pilot the government’s fair economy policy, such as by curbing large conglomerates’ abuse of power, banning new cross-shareholding, expanding the scope of class action suits and introducing punitive compensation.

Both Choi and Han are subject to parliamentary confirmation hearings. Yoon Chang-jung explained Han’s appointment would be submitted to the Assembly early next week, while Choi’s designation will be presented once the government reorganization bill is approved.

Park also promoted deputy chief of the Government Legislation Ministry Je Jeong-boo as minister and retained retired Army General Park Sung-choon as the head of the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. Former vice agriculture minister Chung Seung was named as head of the Korea Food and Drug Administration.

By Lee Joo-hee (jhl@heraldcorp.com)