Yoo Jin-ryong, the first minister of culture, sports and tourism (MCST) at the new government, unveiled in his inaugural speech the policy priority of ushering in an era of people’s happiness, as President Park Geun-hye has proclaimed. 

Minister Yoo said in his inaugural speech on March 11, “Hallyu, the Korean Wave, which has caught on in Korean dramas and K-pop, is spreading to the whole of the Korean culture and to the globe.” 

“In the tourism field, Korea has achieved remarkable feats °™ seeing inbound arrivals surpassing 10 million during last year, ranking fifth in the medal race of London Summer Olympic Games, and being awarded with the right to host the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.”

Yoo said the nation should not rest on its laurels, however. He said, “Our ministry will have to deal with a lot of things given the stark reality: a cultural divide depending on incomes, generations, and districts; insufficient leisure infrastructure for the five-day workweek environment; a majority of culture and art performers’ wages falling just below minimum levels; a pop culture-oriented Hallyu; and a tourism industry with a low competitive edge.”

He said his ministry will attach priority on raising the quality of people’s lives and happiness, as cultural prosperity has emerged as one of the Park Geun-hye government’s tenets along with economic resurgence and public happiness. His rationale is that cultural prosperity needs to start with the embracing of human values, caring & sharing, and the restoring and evolving of a society filled with communication and trust.

Yoo said he believed that the nation did not have a way to make people happy, so his policy on culture needs to be focused on creating an affluent cultural environment that cares for people’s individual human life and happiness at the same time. 

The minister stressed the need for his ministry officials’ to take an open-minded approach toward communication with the people and building trust for the purpose of making trustworthy policies.  

A graduate of the Seoul National University Department of Commerce and Trade, Yoo began his official career at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1978 after passing the public administration examination. He rose to become the vice minister of culture, sports and tourism in the Roh Moo-hyun government before he served as the dean of Hallyu Graduate School at Catholic University of Korea in 2012. 

Yoo, who received a doctorate degree in public administration from Hanyang University, has authored such books as “What is Art Economy?” and “Understanding the Entertainment Industry.”

Cho Hyun-jae, assistant minister in charge of planning and coordination, has been tapped as the first vice minister of culture at the MCST. 

A graduate of Yonsei University’s Public Administration Department, MCST Vice Minister Cho obtained a doctorate degree from the University of Bristol in the UK. He began his official career at the now-defunct Ministry of Sports Affairs in 2002 after passing the public administration examination and held posts related to sports and tourism affairs.

Park Jong-gil, head of the Taenung Athlete’s Village, was appointed to become the 2nd vice minister of sports and tourism at the MCST. 

A graduate of Kwangwoon University’s Business Administration Department, MCST Vice Minister Park won the gold medal in shooting in the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games and the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games. He served as a national shooting team coach during the period between 1992 and 1996 and the general manager of the Korean national team at the 2012 London Summer Olympic Games.