President Lee Jae-myung on June 15 appointed four senior officials to key posts at the National Security Office and the newly established Office of the Chief Secretary for AI Future Strategy.
Kim Hyun-jong, a former military officer and former presidential secretary for defense reform, was was named the first deputy national security adviser. Im Woong-soon, South Korea’s ambassador to Canada, was appointed the second deputy adviser, while Oh Hyun-joo, ambassador to the Holy See, was tapped as the third deputy adviser. Ha Jung-woo, head of the AI Innovation Center at Naver Cloud, was appointed the presidential secretary for artificial intelligence policy, a newly created position under the presidential policy office.
Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik announced the appointments during a press briefing on Saturday, June 15.
Regarding Im’s appointment, Kang described him as “a seasoned diplomat,” noting that “in an era where diplomatic negotiations are becoming increasingly vital, he will play a key role in advancing South Korea’s national interest through pragmatic diplomacy.”
Commenting on Oh’s appointment, Kang said, “As South Korea’s first female ambassador to the Holy See, she will be tasked with formulating strategies to maximize national interest amid intensifying global competition in the fields of economy, security, and sanctions.”
On Ha’s selection, Kang expressed hopes that his field experience at the innovation center “will translate into national policy for artificial intelligence.”
