All Directors of National Intelligence Service Replaced

President Roh Moo-hyun on Wednesday replaced the first, second and third deputy directors of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Roh named Suh Dae-won, the UN Ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as first deputy director (international affairs), Lee Sang-eop, the president of the Korea National Policy University as second deputy director (domestic affairs), and Choi Joon-taek, head of International Affairs Research Institute as the third director (North Korea affairs).

According to the president’s nomination, the National Intelligence Service will launch a second administration under the current director Goh Young-gu. In addition, the NIS’s last four-year policy against North Korea since the summit between the South and the North in 2000 has been shifted.

President Roh also nominated Huh Joon-young, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, as candidate for the head of the National Police Agency (NPA). The Blue House spokesman Kim Jong-min said, “The current head of the NPA, Choi Ki-moon, who recently announced his resignation, will continue to perform his duty until the hearing session of the National Assembly concludes and candidate Huh receives a formal nomination.”

Seo Dae-won, 55, the first deputy director, was born in Seoul. He graduated from Seoul National University with a major in international relations, passed the seventh National Diplomacy Examination, was director of the United Nations Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was the Korean deputy ambassador to the UN and the Korean ambassador to Hungary

Lee Sang-eop, 57, the second deputy director, was born in Changwon, Gyeongnam province. He graduated from Korea University with a major in law and passed 13th National Administration Examination. He was also head of Choongnam, the Gyeonggi Metropolitan Policy Agency, and was director of investigation for the National Police Agency.

Choi Joon-taek, 58, is the third deputy director. Born in Goheung, Jeolla province, he graduated from Konkuk University with a major in agriculture, and he served with the national intelligence service as the director of North Korea Information.

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com