South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has made changes to his senior staff, appointing new senior presidential secretaries for communications and civil affairs, among other aides. Seong Ghi-hong, former CEO and president of Yonhap News Agency, is now the presidential secretary for public relations and communication. Han Chan-sik, a former senior prosecutor, has been named the presidential secretary for civil affairs.
Kim Kyoung-ja, former vice chairperson of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, is the new presidential secretary for social affairs. Former Army commander Kang Gun-jark and Song Ki-ho, a senior official at the National Security Office, have been appointed as the first and third deputy national security advisers, respectively.
President Lee’s chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, praised the new presidential secretary for communication, highlighting his 30 years of journalism experience and ability to communicate effectively with the public. The reshuffle coincides with Lee’s second year in office after assuming the presidency last year.
In a separate appointment, Nam Jae-heon, a senior oceans ministry official overseeing Arctic shipping routes, has been named vice minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. This move aligns with South Korea’s goal of becoming a prominent maritime nation by developing Arctic shipping routes.
