The state-run Korea Post said Tuesday that Rep. Cho Hae-keun of the ruling People Power Party has been named president of the national postal service.

An expert in administration, Cho studied his undergraduates in the field at Sungkyunkwan University and went on to earn a master’s degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University in the US.

After passing the 38th Civil Service Exam, he first embarked on his career in the public sector in 1995 and held several posts at Korea Post, first as director of the South Jeolla regional office of Korea Post, and later on as director of the Posts Bureau as well as director of the Postal Savings Bureau.

In an inaugural speech Tuesday, he mentioned the goal of expanding the public role of Korea Post through digital innovation while pledging to enhance its management structure among others.

In particular, he stressed the importance of digital transition in postal and financial services at Korea Post to fend off dwindling demand for traditional mail service.

“Amid rapid digitalization throughout various industries, we are also in dire need of innovation through digital transformation. In the postal sector, it is essential to integrate digital technologies such as AI into our entire logistics system to boost efficiency and competitiveness,” Cho stated.

He also vowed to discover new business opportunities by adopting digital technologies and the latest digitalized postal banking system.

Korea Post currently runs and manages 3,300 post offices nationwide, providing services in various fields including national and international mail service, postal banking, and insurance.

It is also one of the key members of the Kahala Posts Group, an international alliance of 11 postal operators launched in 2002 with the aim of elevating the quality of international mail services.