Seoul’s foreign policy divisions bubble to surface after key adviser resigns



Analysis Seoul’s foreign policy divisions bubble to surface after key adviser resigns Reshuffle in national security office sets stage for politicking, which could come at expense of South Korea’s interests Justin YeoApril 24, 2023 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON President Yoon Suk-yeol conducts a meeting aboard Air Force One with then National Security Office Director Kim Sung-han to his right, Foreign Minister Park Jin to his left, and first deputy director of the NSO Kim Tae-hyo next to Park, Sept. 23, 2022 \| Image: ROK Presidential Office A surprising turn of events recently unfolded in South Korea when President Yoon Suk-yeol’s national security adviser resigned unexpectedly, just a month before the Biden-Yoon bilateral summit. Due to Kim Sung-han’s resignation, first deputy Kim Tae-hyo has emerged as a key figure in Seoul’s National Security Office. However, he did not assume the top job. Instead, that role went to Cho Tae-yong, previously the South Korean ambassador to the U.S. The precise reasons behind these sudden resignations remain undisclosed. Speculation arose that Kim Sung-han’s dismissal might have been due to his mishandling of a concert featuring K-pop sensation © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01South Korea’s missile defense push raises new questions over wartime stocks 02South Korea bank hacks expose weak links beyond core financial systems 03Lee-Zelensky feud exposes South Korea’s widening Ukraine policy dilemma 04Lee Jae Myung’s ‘pacemaker’ strategy tests South Korea’s leverage with Trump 05Trump’s Korea investment victory lap masks safeguards Seoul still controls 06North Korean POW dispute tests Seoul-Kyiv trust and future Ukraine policy 07South Korea’s CPTPP push exposes the cost of turning trade gains into consensus 08AI storage boom gives South Korea battery makers an EV overcapacity lifeline

Analysis

Seoul’s foreign policy divisions bubble to surface after key adviser resigns

Reshuffle in national security office sets stage for politicking, which could come at expense of South Korea’s interests

Justin YeoApril 24, 2023

Seoul’s foreign policy divisions bubble to surface after key adviser resigns

President Yoon Suk-yeol conducts a meeting aboard Air Force One with then National Security Office Director Kim Sung-han to his right, Foreign Minister Park Jin to his left, and first deputy director of the NSO Kim Tae-hyo next to Park, Sept. 23, 2022 | Image: ROK Presidential Office

A surprising turn of events recently unfolded in South Korea when President Yoon Suk-yeol’s national security adviser resigned unexpectedly, just a month before the Biden-Yoon bilateral summit.

Due to Kim Sung-han’s resignation, first deputy Kim Tae-hyo has emerged as a key figure in Seoul’s National Security Office. However, he did not assume the top job. Instead, that role went to Cho Tae-yong, previously the South Korean ambassador to the U.S.

The precise reasons behind these sudden resignations remain undisclosed. Speculation arose that Kim Sung-han’s dismissal might have been due to his mishandling of a concert featuring K-pop sensation

Seoul’s foreign policy divisions bubble to surface after key adviser resigns

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Justin Yeo