Hyung-jin Kim, Ambassador for International Relations in Seoul
President Moon Jae-in replaces Kang Gyeong-hwa, the second deputy head of the Blue House National Security Office, followed by Kang Kyung-hwa. Seoul Metropolitan City International Relations Ambassador Kim Hyung-jin is expected to be nominated as the successor. In summary, on the 20th, President Moon reorganized the diplomatic and security lines in line with the inauguration of the new U.S. President Joe Biden, replacing the second deputy chief Kim Hyun-jong, who took office in March 2019, and appointing Ambassador Kim as the second deputy head of the new security office. I made up my mind with. The Blue House will soon announce a greeting related to this. Ambassador Kim passed the Foreign Affairs Examination in 1983 and is considered one of the representative ‘American Tongs’ in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such as serving as a North American manager, a construction councilor for the US Embassy, and a North American director. Ambassador Kim served as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the end of the Park Geun-hye administration, and has been ambassador for international relations in Seoul since January last year. Among the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is being evaluated as’combining skill and character’. A government source said, “Ambassador Kim served as a Washington construction councilor during the Obama administration and served as the director of North America, so he seems to be a suitable person to welcome the Biden administration.” Although the exact reason for the replacement of Chief Kim Hyun-jong has not been confirmed, there have been talks about problems within and outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that there are big and small problems not only inside the Security Office but also with related ministries due to Kim’s work style. There was also a disagreement with Minister Kang Kyung-hwa and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong-gun. Even within the Blue House, there was a suggestion for the replacement of Mr. Kim several months ago, but it is known that President Moon did not make a decision until recently. By Kim Ji-eun, staff reporter [email protected]