President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday named a veteran expert on cultural assets as new chief of the state agency charged with taking care of traditional cultural properties, her office announced.

Na Sun-hwa, 64, was tapped to head the Cultural Heritage Administration, presidential spokeswoman Kim Haing said.

She will succeed Byun Young-sup, who was sacked last month amid public criticism over the poor restoration of Sungnyemun, one of the four gates that surrounded the capital during the Joseon era (1392-1910). Na spent 35 years working at the museum of her alma mater, Seoul’s Ewha Womans University, and served on various state panels handling cultural properties.

She “is the right person for smoothly resolving various pending issues” as she is not only excellent in related expertise and experiences, but has also worked closely together with other people in the area, the spokeswoman said. (Yonhap News)