(profile) Seasoned gov't official in housing, transport policy named new land minister

SEOUL, August 30 (Yonhap) -- Hong Jee-sun, appointed as the new land minister on Sunday, brings a wealth of experience in urban housing and transportation policy to her role. Born in 1966, Hong holds a civil engineering degree from Hanyang University in Seoul and a master's degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

He commenced his civil service career in 1996 and has since served in various pivotal positions focusing on urban housing, construction, and transportation policy within the Gyeonggi Provincial Government. Hong collaborated closely with then Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae Myung, who is now South Korea's president, functioning as the official overseeing urban housing and directing the province's housing policies and urban planning strategies.

In December of the previous year, he was promoted to the position of vice land minister, tasked with overseeing the nation's transportation and construction policies. Known for his extensive work in crafting and executing land, infrastructure, and transportation policies throughout his career in major local governments around Seoul, Hong is now poised to implement the government's housing policies aimed at maintaining stable housing prices and increasing housing supply.