▲ President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) poses for a photo with new Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho after presenting him a letter of appointment at the presidential office in Seoul on July 28, 2023. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Yoon-unification minister

(LEAD) New unification minister receives letter of appointment

(ATTN: UPDATES with minister receiving letter of appointment; CHANGES headline, photo)

By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, July 28 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday presented a letter of appointment to new Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho.

Kim, a professor of political science and diplomacy at Sungshin Women's University, was nominated by Yoon last month to replace Unification Minister Kwon Young-se, who is expected to run in next year's parliamentary elections.

The new minister was not confirmed by the National Assembly as the main opposition Democratic Party refused to adopt a report on his confirmation hearing over what it described as his extreme rightist views on North Korea.

The president can appoint a minister without parliamentary confirmation if the National Assembly refuses to respond to his request for a report by a given deadline.

Kim is the 15th Cabinet member of the Yoon administration to be appointed without confirmation.

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