Latest news with #JungEun-kyeong
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Health
- Korea Herald
Health minister nominee Jung Eun-kyeong, disease specialist who spearheaded battle against COVID-19
Jung Eun-kyeong, President Lee Jae-myung's pick to head the Ministry of Health and Welfare, earned nationwide fame during her tenure as the inaugural commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. The 60-year-old was at the forefront of the nation's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and headed the KDCA as a vice minister-level official from September of 2020 to May 2022. She joined Lee's presidential campaign this year, ahead of the June 3 presidential election. She had risen through the ranks of the KDCA's forerunner National Institute of Health since joining in 1955, then through the KDCA as an expert in disease control. If her appointment to the minister post is confirmed, it would be the first time since 2017 that a medical doctor would be heading the Health Ministry. One of her tasks as the new Health Minister would be to resolve the ongoing confrontation between the government and the medical circles, which has been going on since February of last year when trainee doctors across the country engaged in a mass walkout.
Korea Herald
30-04-2025
- Health
- Korea Herald
Korea's 'pandemic hero' joins Lee Jae-myung's presidential campaign
As head of Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency from 2020-2022, Jung Eun-kyeong led Korea's response to COVID-19 pandemic Jung Eun-kyeong, former director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, joined the presidential campaign staff of the Democratic Party of Korea candidate Rep. Lee Jae-myung. Jung, 59, the former head of the KDCA garnered nationwide fame for the agency's response to the recent pandemic induced by the COVID-19. Time magazine in 2020 named her one of the 100 most influential people of the year, as then-President Moon Jae-in commended her contributions to the nation's antivirus efforts. The Democratic Party on Wednesday afternoon will conduct an official launching ceremony of the team supporting Lee, who is slated to enter his second presidential race after notching a landslide victory in the primary to confirm his nomination. Jung is among the notable names expected to take leading positions in Lee's team spanning across both the liberal and conservative factions. This includes: conservative former Environment Minister Yoon Yeo-joon, as well as prominent politicians and former government officials such as former Justice Minister Kang Keum-sil, former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Democratic Party Floor Leader Park Chan-dae and former Gyeonggi Governer Kim Kyeong-soo, who competed against Lee in the primary this year.
