President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday named two deputy chiefs of Cheong Wa Dae’s national security office, adding momentum to his plans to bolster the nation’s diplomacy and reinforce its defense.

Lee Sang-chul, A professor of national security studies at Sungshin Women’s University, was named first deputy chief of the office to take charge of national security strategies, defense reforms and arms control, presidential spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said at a briefing.

Lee, born in 1957 in Naju in South Jeolla Province, graduated from the Korea Military Academy and earned a doctorate in political studies from Kyungnam University. He previously served as the Defense Ministry’s arms control team chief and represented the ministry in several key negotiations including the six-party talks.


Kim Ki-jung, chief of Yonsei University’s Graduate School of Public Administration, was named the second chief of the office to supervise diplomatic affairs, unification policies and cyber national security.

Speculations had been rampant earlier in the day that the Blue House would tap a former senior military official for the first deputy chief position in order to achieve balance within the national security office. This arose due to concerns that the office needs more military officials in order to respond to military provocations from North Korea and forthcoming summits with key partner states.

President Moon, upon restructuring his secretariat on May 11, reallocated the role of the senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and national security to the national security office, seeking integration and improved response capacities.

The two deputy advisers are to work under recently appointed national security chief Chung Eui-yong to steer the presidential office’s actions concerning foreign affairs, national defense and North Korean issues.

“With the Korea-UN summit planned (in June) prior to the Group of 20 summit (slated for July), we are pressed for time and need to establish the national security office as soon as possible,” Chung told reporters Sunday, following his appointment to the post.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)