(EDITORIAL from Korea Times on Aug. 14)

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s reshuffle, which involves replacing two key positions – the defense minister and the director of the National Security Council (NSC) – has raised concerns. He has nominated current Defense Minister Shin Won-sik to be the NSC director and selected Kim Yong-hyun, the head of the Presidential Security Service, to succeed Shin as defense minister.

There are many questions. Why is the reshuffle happening now? Is Shin the right choice to lead the NSC as director?

The reshuffle came out of the blue, which is unusual. Yoon replaced the defense minister and national security adviser shortly after returning to work from a five-day vacation.

Compared to his predecessors, Yoon has been usually quite predictable with his nominations. There were no surprises in his selections for key government positions, as he appointed individuals who had already been reported in the media as potential candidates for the vacated roles.

This time, however, the reshuffle was unexpected. Before presidential ch
ief of staff Chung Jin-suk’s announcement, few people, including those working in the presidential office, were aware that the defense minister and NSC director would be replaced.

The presidential office cited four key factors that motivated Yoon to replace the top defense positions with individuals who have extensive military experience. These factors include the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November, the dangerous military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, the expanding conflict in the Middle East, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Presidential Office’s explanation, however, is not convincing as a combined reason to conduct a sudden, unannounced reshuffle. Such external risks had been there far before this reshuffle.

What is even more difficult to understand is that the presidential office did not mention any “new and internal risks” that could justify Yoon’s sudden reshuffle.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) has become a laughingstock due to its agents’ mishandling of inf
luence operations in Washington D.C., as revealed in a document released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The U.S. prosecution has indicted Sue Mi Terry, a senior fellow at the prestigious New York-based think tank Council on Foreign Relations, for her alleged violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

While the NIS is reeling from the fallout of the Terry case, the Korea Defense Intelligence Command (KDIC) has been rocked by a double espionage scandal. An unnamed KDIC staffer is alleged to have sold a list of military intelligence agents to a Chinese Korean, with the documents containing their names and personal details reportedly handed over to North Korea.

Yoon’s decision to promote the defense minister to the position of NSC director should spark an open debate to determine whether this choice is appropriate.

As defense minister, Shin is accountable for the KDIC’s leak scandal. The KDIC, a military intelligence agency responsible for conducting numerous covert, high-risk operations – including in
filtrations into North Korea to gather intelligence – operates in secrecy, with its very existence expected to remain unknown to the public. However, following media reports about the espionage scandal, the KDIC and its secret agents have been exposed. The revelation of a secret agency and its operatives compromises its ability to conduct covert operations effectively. The leak of the KDIC’s covert agents poses a significant national security threat, as it jeopardizes the integrity of the military’s hard-won human intelligence.

Shin, as defense minister, has overseen military affairs during this disastrous incident that has severely impacted the military intelligence agency. He cannot escape criticism for the downfall of the elite military intelligence network. Yoon’s appointment of someone responsible for the collapse of South Korea’s military intelligence is difficult to justify. The president should reconsider his choice for NSC director.

When selecting nominees, Yoon should exercise greater prudence to
ensure that candidates are well-suited for the positions they are being considered for.

Shin will become the fourth NSC director since Yoon assumed the presidency in May 2022. This would result in an average tenure of less than seven months for each national security adviser under Yoon.

The NSC director is responsible for overseeing all matters related to foreign affairs, national security, and intelligence, and receives regular briefings from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense, and NIS. Given the critical nature of this role, frequent changes – such as replacing the NSC director every seven months – seem impractical. Yoon should carefully review each candidate, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and select an individual who is well-qualified to handle the demanding responsibilities of the position. A merit-based selection process is highly recommended.

Source: Yonhap News Agency