President Park Geun-hye on Monday appointed Han Gwang-ok, former opposition magnate and her key campaigner, as the inaugural chief of the presidential committee on people’s grand unity.

Han also headed the same committee with Park’s election camp and her transition team.

“The committee will address the wounds and discord within our society and establish the culture of coprosperity,” said Lee Jung-hyun, senior secretary for public relations.

“With the launch of the committee, the president’s activities for achieving social unity will begin in earnest.”

Han is a former progressive politician who joined the Saenuri Party during Park’s presidential campaign last year.

Until then, Han had built up a long career in the progressive bloc, and his political roots go back to the Donggyo-dong faction ― the group of Kim Dae-jung supporters within the proto-political organization established in 1984 in collaboration with former President Kim Young-sam.

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)