Lim Ho-geun, director general of planning and coordination at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, has been tapped to serve as presidential secretary for population policy, filling a position that had remained vacant for nine months since the Lee Jae-myung administration took office.
According to the presidential office on the 23rd, Lim has been nominated for the population policy secretary position. The Lee administration placed the population policy secretary under the AI and Future Planning Senior Secretary's Office when the government launched in June last year. The unusual placement under an office with relatively little connection to population policy drew attention from political circles, but the position remained unfilled for nine months as officials struggled to find a suitable candidate.
Lim, a native of Gwangju, graduated from Sogang University with a degree in political science and diplomacy before entering public service after passing the 41st Higher Civil Service Examination. He has served in various positions at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, including director of emergency medical services, director of planning and coordination, director of welfare policy, and director general of social services policy. He also served as secretary general of the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy. In November last year, he was promoted from policy planning director to director general of planning and coordination at the ministry.