Sangho Woo's Transition Committee Finalized with Five Subcommittees and 67 Members, Begins Official Transition Process

Woo Sangho Launches Gangwon Governor Transition Committee
Heon-Young Kim Appointed Chair, 67-Member Team Finalized
Transition Committee Begins June 12; Embarking on Blueprint for 9th Administration
Field-Oriented Expert Advisors to Support Practical Governance
"We Will Focus on Preparing a Policy Roadmap to Improve Residents' Quality of Life"

Sangho Woo, Governor-elect of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, has finalized the formation of the transition committee, which will lay the groundwork for the administration of the 9th popularly elected provincial government, and is set to begin the official transition process. The committee, comprised of 67 members from academia, politics, and civil society, is designed to ensure both stability in provincial governance and policy expertise.

Elected Governor Woo Sang-ho of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. Screenshot from Elected Governor Woo Sang-ho's Facebook homepage.

On June 11, Governor-elect Woo officially announced the list of transition committee members, which consists of a standing advisory board, a standing policy advisory board, five subcommittees, and a group of expert advisors. The committee will be led by Heon-Young Kim, former president of Kangwon National University, as chair, and Junseong Yeo, regional chair of the Democratic Party of Korea for Wonju-gap, as vice chair.

The transition committee will set policy directions primarily through the standing advisory board and the standing policy advisory board, while the five subcommittees will review campaign pledges and assess key provincial tasks by area.

The standing advisory board includes Do-Kyun Kim, chair of the Democratic Party’s Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province chapter; National Assembly members Kiheon Song and Young Hur; former lawmakers Wookcheol Choi, Dongyeol Yeom, and Kijoon Shim; Yoon Choi, chair of the Gangwon Democratic Foundation; Jungbae Yoo, regional chair for Chuncheon, Cheorwon, Hwacheon, and Yanggu-eul; and Pilhong Heo, regional chair for Hongcheon, Hoengseong, Pyeongchang, and Yeongwol. The inclusion of a broad range of political figures from both ruling and opposition parties and various regions underscores a commitment to integration and collaborative governance.

The standing policy advisory board, which will provide policy consultation, comprises experts such as Heungjip Choi, former vice governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province; Kisuk Kim, professor emeritus at Kangwon National University; Kiwon Lee, professor emeritus at Hallym University; and Hoyul Kwon, professor emeritus in computer engineering at Kangwon National University. By placing experts in administration, education, and science and technology at the forefront, the committee aims to enhance the quality of its policy initiatives.

The working-level transition committee is organized into five subcommittees: Planning and Strategy, Provincial Safety and Autonomy, Future Growth Industries, Culture, Welfare and Tourism, and Agricultural, Marine and Fisheries Coexistence. A total of 18 committee members will participate, assessing the feasibility and implementation strategies of key pledges for the 9th elected administration.

The Planning and Strategy subcommittee, led by Younghoon Song, professor in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Kangwon National University, will be responsible for establishing the provincial government’s vision and long-term development strategy. The Provincial Safety and Autonomy subcommittee, headed by Jonghyun Ryu, former research fellow at the Gangwon Research Institute, will oversee safety and autonomous administration matters.

The Future Growth Industries subcommittee, led by Heungseong Kim, former president of the Gangwon Information and Culture Promotion Agency, will focus on advanced industry and local economic revitalization. The Culture, Welfare and Tourism subcommittee, under the leadership of Manhee Yoo, acting president of Sangji University, will review tourism and welfare policies. The Agricultural, Marine and Fisheries Coexistence subcommittee, headed by Sumi Shin, CEO of Youth Shared Farm, will discuss ways to enhance the competitiveness of agriculture and fisheries and promote regional coexistence.

Additionally, an expert advisory group consisting of 34 professors, researchers, civil society activists, and campaign staff from Governor-elect Woo’s campaign has been established. This group will support the transition committee’s work by reviewing policies, analyzing data, and assisting in the development of implementation plans for campaign pledges for each subcommittee.

Governor-elect Woo stated, "The transition committee was formed with the highest priority on professionalism and execution," adding, "We will focus on preparing a policy roadmap to secure future growth engines for Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province and to improve the quality of life for its residents."

Meanwhile, the transition committee for the 9th popularly elected governor of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province will hold a plaque unveiling ceremony at the provincial government annex on the morning of June 12, officially commencing its activities with the appointment of advisors and committee members and its first full meeting. The committee will then intensively review the key tasks and implementation plans for the new provincial government’s core pledges.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.