Park Yong-maan, a seasoned entrepreneur who formerly chaired South Korea's energy-to-heavy industry conglomerate Doosan Group, was named as the head of a group of special envoys to the United States, according to the presidential office Thursday.
The 70-year-old Park, who also formerly led the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will be accompanied by Reps. Han Jun-ho and Kim Woo-young of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, said Woo Sang-ho, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, in a briefing to reporters.
Woo, however, said that the scheduled date for the special envoy's trip to the US has not been confirmed. He did not elaborate on who their counterparts in the US would be.
Woo's revelation came during a press briefing about a closed-door meeting between President Lee Jae Myung and veteran politician Kim Chong-in at lunchtime.
Kim, an 85-year-old who has experience serving as interim leader of both rival political parties, had reportedly been picked as a special envoy to the US but the decision was withdrawn, according to Woo, adding he asked for Kim's understanding as he arrived at Lee's office for lunch.
Before Thursday's announcement. Lee's office had earlier named special envoys to the European Union, France, the United Kingdom and India, who all traveled to their respective destinations from Monday to Wednesday.
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