Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Yun-deok on Monday presented appointment letters to the newly named heads of the Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC) and the Spatial Information Industry Promotion Institute at the Government Sejong Complex.
Addressing JDC President Song Seok-eon, Kim said the center bears heavy responsibility in developing Jeju as a free international city, but noted that the top post had been vacant for an extended period and that the agency's management evaluation results had been unsatisfactory. He urged Song to move quickly on organizational reform.
Kim also called for every effort to promptly normalize the long-delayed Healthcare Town and Yere resort residential complex projects.
Song, a former president of Jeju National University, was appointed JDC chief on March 16.
Turning to Kim Taek-jin, the newly appointed head of the Spatial Information Industry Promotion Institute, the minister said the geospatial sector is at a critical juncture marked by rapid change — including the AI transformation — and growing demand for stronger global competitiveness. He asked Kim Taek-jin, as the institute's first head since it was designated a public institution in February, to fulfill the agency's role in advancing the industry and driving its growth and competitiveness.
Kim Taek-jin previously served as head of the spatial information policy division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and as head of the spatial information division at the Korea Land and Geospatial Informatix Corp. before working in the private geospatial sector. He was appointed to the post effective April 29.
smh@heraldcorp.com
