Lee Do-woon, a former editorial writer of Munhwa Ilbo, appointed as the new presidential spokesperson, speaks at the presidential office building in Yongsan, Seoul, Sunday afternoon. (Yonhap)

Former journalist Lee Do-woon was appointed as President Yoon Suk Yeol’s new spokesperson after the position had been left empty for five months, the presidential office said Sunday.

The position has been vacant since early September after former spokesperson Kang In-sun moved to the role of public relations secretary for the foreign press.

Lee graduated from Yonsei University’s political science and diplomacy department and began his career as a reporter at the daily newspaper Seoul Shinmun in 1990, serving as a Washington correspondent, political department head and deputy director.

In early 2017, when former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was considering running for president, Lee left the newspaper to act as his spokesperson. After Ban decided not to pursue the presidency, Lee returned to the media the same year and has served as an editorial writer for the conservative daily newspaper Munhwa Ilbo.

“Lee has presented in-depth analysis and balanced views on domestic and foreign situations and current issues such as politics, diplomacy and society,” Yoon’s press secretary Kim Eun-hye told reporters on Sunday afternoon.

“It is expected that he will play the role of a bridge to accurately convey the will of President Yoon Suk Yeol and communicate with the people,” Kim said.

Lee said there have been many issues related to communication while relocating the presidential office to Yongsan, and there are also problems to be resolved. “I think we can solve them while communicating with the media.”

“As a spokesperson, I will well represent the will of the president and the president’s office, and I will also play a role in listening to the thoughts of the media and the people and conveying them to the presidential office,” he said.