President Yoon Suk-yeol appointed defense minister Shin Won-sik as South Korea’s new National Security Adviser (NSA), a move that signals a shift toward a more assertive National Security Office.

The ruling party praised Shin’s appointment, while the opposition expressed concerns about the need for measured diplomacy.

Shin, a retired three-star lieutenant general and former People Power Party (PPP) lawmaker, brings decades of military experience to the role. He has a reputation for speaking frankly and also speaking at length to the press and parliament about his views on defense-related issues.

Shin’s ascension to the NSA position comes in the latter