New vice minister vows to put 'growth' at heart of all policy

Park Dong-il, the newly appointed vice minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, said Monday he would place "growth" at the center of all policy and work to find the "hidden 1 centimeter" within each initiative.

Speaking at his inauguration ceremony, Park said, "All the policies we pursue — from mega-projects and M.AX to the five-pole, three-special growth engines — must ultimately lead to corporate investment, industrial innovation, quality jobs, and growth for both the people and the regions."

He said the ministry faces a transformed environment. "Global uncertainty and chronic supply chain crises have completely changed the trade landscape, and the pace of technological revolution — including AI — is accelerating," he said. "Navigating these new challenges wisely is the mission of our time for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy."

Park urged staff to make the ministry a driver of national progress. "Industry is where growth is actually created," he said. "Let us create the conditions for growth, expand the opportunities for growth, and become the ministry that leads South Korea's next leap forward."

He stressed the importance of execution speed and tangible results. "Policy must not exist for policy's sake, nor projects for projects' sake," Park said. "Let us think about how our work contributes to the growth of South Korea and its people as a whole, and how we can move faster." He also called on staff to proactively reach out to other ministries and companies to get things done.

Park urged his team to "always ask questions and look for the hidden 1 centimeter in policy," identifying the competitiveness of the semiconductor ecosystem, support for regional growth, the discovery of new growth engines, and improving corporate productivity and competitiveness through M.AX as key areas to examine.

On risks to critical supply chains and strategic resources, he said, "Responding after a problem arises and detecting a problem in advance to prepare for it are entirely different things. A question asked one step ahead creates a policy one step ahead, and a policy one step ahead turns a crisis into an opportunity."

On organizational management, Park emphasized on-the-ground communication and mutual respect, and said he would cut unnecessary work.

"I will not stay confined to reports on a desk — I will communicate with the field," he said, adding that he would ensure staff efforts and achievements receive proper recognition.

He also called for eliminating what he called "fake work" — unnecessary in-person reports, meetings and performative events — to build an organizational culture focused on real tasks and maximum capability.

Park is regarded as a seasoned policy expert with broad experience in industrial and nuclear power plant policy, known for his ability to develop innovative policy alternatives.

He graduated from Jeonju Sangsang High School, earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Seoul National University and a master's degree in economics from the University of Oregon. He entered public service in 1998 through the 40th class of the civil service examination, joining the Ministry of Information and Communication. From 2008, he served at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in a range of senior roles — including director of the machinery and robot division, director of nuclear power plant industry policy, director of nuclear environmental policy, director of distribution and logistics, director general of manufacturing industry policy, and director general of nuclear power plant industry policy — gaining wide experience across retail, nuclear energy, materials and components, and manufacturing policy.

He is recognized for his ability to approach issues from fresh perspectives rather than relying on established practice, generating innovative ideas and backing them with objective data and evidence. He is also known for communicating complex matters clearly and concisely in ways the public can easily understand.

Guided by a belief that every problem has a solution, he is known for his ability to communicate and mediate — maintaining balance on contentious issues and finding workable solutions.

Colleagues say he frequently holds candid conversations with staff regardless of rank, and his approachable nature has made him a trusted confidant for many junior officials. He is particularly noted for respecting junior staff, avoiding unnecessary work instructions and refraining from contacting them outside working hours.