{"id":2200583,"date":"2023-03-30T19:44:17","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T10:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2200583"},"modified":"2023-04-05T16:07:48","modified_gmt":"2023-04-05T07:07:48","slug":"making-sense-of-the-sudden-resignation-of-south-koreas-national-security-chief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/03\/making-sense-of-the-sudden-resignation-of-south-koreas-national-security-chief\/","title":{"rendered":"Making sense of the sudden resignation of South Korea\u2019s national security chief"},"content":{"rendered":"
Kim Sung-han <\/span>abruptly resigned<\/span><\/a> from his post as South Korean national security adviser on March 29. The surprise move comes just weeks before President Yoon Suk-yeol\u2019s <\/span>state visit to the U.S.<\/span><\/a> and speaks to the importance that Yoon has placed on the event.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But it could signal a temperamental leadership style in the presidential office, which could eventually spill over into Seoul\u2019s relationships with its most important partners.<\/span><\/p>\n When announcing his resignation, Kim said he succeeded in helping Yoon improve South Korea\u2019s ties with the U.S. and Japan and would return to his previous job at Korea University.<\/span><\/p>\n Prior to being Yoon\u2019s national security adviser, Kim served as a <\/span>vice foreign minister<\/span><\/a> during the Lee Myung-bak administration from 2008 to 2013 and later became a <\/span>professor<\/span><\/a> at Korea University\u2019s Graduate School of International Studies. However, his relationship with Yoon goes back 50 years, as they attended elementary school together.<\/span><\/p>\n However, Kim said during his announcement that he does not wish for the \u201ccontroversy caused by me\u201d to bring additional burden to the country\u2019s diplomatic work or administration of state affairs. Neither Kim nor the presidential office elaborated on what those controversies were.<\/span><\/p>\n K-CONTROVERSY?<\/b><\/p>\n According to <\/span>local media outlets<\/span><\/a>, problems arose behind the scenes due to Kim\u2019s failure to communicate properly while planning the upcoming state visit.<\/span><\/p>\n The U.S. allegedly proposed a musical performance by BTS, a Korean pop music group, and later requested a joint performance by another K-pop group, Blackpink, with Lady Gaga.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The South Korean Embassy in Washington allegedly <\/span>reported<\/span><\/a> the U.S. proposal for the joint event in five separate messages to Seoul. But the embassy did not receive any response because Kim reportedly did not relay the message to the foreign ministry or the presidential office.<\/span><\/p>\n Yoon apparently learned of this communication breakdown later. The presidential secretary for protocol Kim Il-bum <\/span>resigned<\/span><\/a> the next day, and the presidential foreign affairs secretary Lee Moon-hee was also replaced two weeks later.<\/span><\/p>\n As for Kim, the presidential office <\/span>denied<\/span><\/a> news reports that it considered replacing him until just hours before he announced his resignation.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n