Yoon names former deputy national security adviser as spy agency chief

National Intelligence Service (NIS) director nominee Kim Kyou-hyun, left, and new NIS first deputy director Kwon Chun-taek

By Nam Hyun-woo

President Yoon Suk-yeol nominated Kim Kyou-hyun, former deputy director of the office of national security, as the new chief of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), according to his office, Wednesday.

A Seoul National University graduate, Kim was a career diplomat and a security expert, serving as the first and second deputy director of the Office of National Security at the presidential office during the conservative Park Geun-hye administration.

During the liberal Roh Moo-hyun administration, he played a role in international affairs at the defense ministry where he was involved in delicate issues such as a debate over transferring wartime operational control to the South Korean military from U.S. Forces Korea.

Also, he served ranking posts at the North American bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Korean embassy to the U.S.

During the presidential campaign, he assisted Yoon in drafting his diplomatic policies as a special adviser.

Kim needs to go through a National Assembly hearing, but does not require legislative approval, thus Yoon is expected to name him regardless of moves at the Assembly.

He was previously investigated by prosecutors for allegedly manipulating the timeframe of reports on the sinking of the Sewol ferry in 2014 to former President Park, but was not punished. During Park's impeachment trial in 2017, Kim said Park was not responsible for the deadly accident.

For the first deputy director position, Yoon appointed Kwon Chun-taek, a former chief of staff to the NIS chief and a diplomat. He is now secretary-general of U.N. Global Compact Network Korea.

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