SEOUL - Song Mi-ryung, an expert in agricultural economics, has been nominated as the new agriculture minister of South Korea. If confirmed, she will make history as the country's first-ever female agriculture minister.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Song Mi-ryung, aged 56, has a long-standing career in agricultural policy research, primarily at the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI), a leading think tank that guides agricultural and rural policy in South Korea. She earned her bachelor's degree in urban planning and a doctorate in public administration from Seoul National University. Since joining KREI in 1997, Song has held significant roles, including vice president of the institute, and is currently working as a senior researcher. Additionally, she is a member of several national committees, such as the Presidential Council on Intellectual Property and an advisory committee of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Song's expertise in urban-rural coexistence models and balanced national territory development positions her as a capable leader for rural development in South Korea.