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Too frequent reshuffles of security aides

Published: 13 Aug. 2024, 20:12

In a surprising development, President Yoon Suk Yeol has decided to reshuffle senior diplomatic and security officials in his government. Experts raise questions over his sudden promotion of Defense Minister Shin Won-shik as the National Security Office head, his nomination of Presidential Security Service chief Kim Yong-hyun as Defense Minister and his appointment of National Security Office head Chang Ho-jin as his special advisor on diplomatic and security affairs. Shortly after returning from his summer vacation, the president changed his top security aides.

Amid escalating inter-Korean tensions, the president will release a message on reunification ahead of the Aug. 15 Liberation Day. But he chose Shin and Kim, both hard-liners toward North Korea, as heads of the Security Office and the Defense Ministry. The president’s sudden replacement of Chang, an expert in managing Korea-U.S. relations, with less than three months left before the U.S. presidential election also raises questions.

The president cannot avoid criticism for his frequent reshuffle of diplomatic and security aides despite the need for policy consistency. He has replaced his Security Office chief four times since taking office in 2022. Each of the three previous heads of the office served for less than a year.

In comparison, U.S. National Security Advisor supported the president even longer. Jake Sullivan has been serving as Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor for four years. During the eight-year terms of the Clinton and Bush administrations, two National Security Advisors served their president while three served for eight years during the Obama administration. Donald Trump replaced his National Security Advisor four times during his term.

If President Yoon’s latest reshuffle reflects his intention to reprimand the outgoing officials for their diplomatic and security fumbles, we can understand his decision. But the Defense Minister has been promoted as head of the National Security Office. The office drew criticism for its inability to catch the signs of the North Korea-Russia relations being restored to the level of their past treaty mandating “automatic military intervention” at times of emergency. The Defense Ministry was also blamed for the leak of personnel information from the Defense Intelligence Command and the dirty fight between its two-star commander and a brigadier general. Kim Yong-hyun, the former head of the Presidential Security Service, was allegedly involved in rescuing a Marine Corps commander from the scandal over the tragic death of a Marine last year.

Timely recruitments can help the government run the country smoothly. We hope the presidential office clearly explain the reasons for the reshuffle.