S Korean president-elect names security adviser, 5 senior secretaries

SEOUL -- South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday named his national security adviser, five senior secretaries and four other members of the presidential office, according to Yoon's presidential transition team.

Yoon, who is set to take office on May 10, nominated Kim Sung-han, a former vice foreign minister who is currently leading the foreign affairs and security subcommittee of the transition team, as the top presidential security adviser.

Kim Tae-hyo, who served as presidential secretary on national security strategy between 2008 and 2012, was named as first deputy national security adviser, while former presidential crisis management officer Shin In-ho was tapped as second deputy national security adviser.

Yoon picked Kim Yong-hyun, former operations director at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as chief of the presidential security service.

Choi Sang-mok, former vice finance minister, was named as senior economic secretary, while former lawmaker Lee Jin-bok was chosen as senior political secretary.

Ahn Sang-hoon, a professor of social welfare at Seoul National University, was nominated as senior social secretary, while former lawmaker Kang Seung-kyoo was tapped as senior civil society secretary.

Choi Young-bum, a former journalist, was chosen as senior communications secretary, while Kang In-sun, a former journalist who is currently the president-elect's spokesperson for the foreign press, will serve as Yoon's spokesperson.

Yoon's presidential office will consist of five senior secretaries and two offices, including those of the presidential chief of staff and the national security adviser.

It will be downsized from the current eight senior secretaries and three offices.

Yoon already named Kim Dae-ki, a former presidential chief of staff for policy, as his first chief of staff in April.