Profile: Industry Minister Nominee Ahn Duk-geun, a Veteran in International Trade

Seoul: Ahn Duk-geun, nominated as South Korea’s new Industry Minister, brings a wealth of experience in international trade to the position. The 55-year-old has a distinguished academic and professional background, with significant contributions to trade policy and economic development.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Ahn, who currently serves as South Korea’s Trade Minister, holds a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Seoul National University and a doctoral degree from the University of Michigan. His career includes significant roles such as a professor at the Korea Development Institute’s School of Public Policy and Management, where he led both the information technology center and the trade strategy center. Ahn’s expertise extends to serving as an external adviser on free trade agreements for the foreign ministry and as the head of the strategic forum for the Trans-Pacific Partnership framework under the industry ministry. Notably, as the first trade minister in the Yoon Suk Yeol government, Ahn focused on diversifying South Korea’s supply chains amid global protectionism policies. His achievements include signing economic partnership agreements and promoting trade and investment in various industries, along with playing a key role in Busan’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo.