청, Customized Organizational Restructuring for Park Ji-won National Intelligence Service System... 2nd Deputy Director Park Jeong-hyun, 3rd Deputy Director Kim Seon-hee (Comprehensive)

Park Seon-won Appointed as Director of Planning and Coordination at NIS... Blue House: "1st Deputy Oversees North Korea and Overseas Affairs, 2nd Deputy Focuses on Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism, 3rd Deputy Handles Scientific Intelligence"

[Asia Economy reporters Ryu Jeong-min and Son Seon-hee] President Moon Jae-in has nominated Park Jeong-hyun, Secretary General of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), as the 2nd Deputy Director of the NIS. Kim Seon-hee, Director of the NIS Intelligence Education Institute, has been nominated as the 3rd Deputy Director of the NIS. Park Seon-won, former Blue House Secretary for Unification, Foreign Affairs, and Security Strategy, has been nominated as the Director of the NIS Planning and Coordination Office.

Kang Min-seok, spokesperson for the Blue House, announced the personnel changes at the NIS on the 4th based on this information. Spokesperson Kang said, "President Moon has today nominated Park Jeong-hyun, Secretary General of the NIS, as the 2nd Deputy Director of the NIS; Kim Seon-hee, Director of the NIS Intelligence Education Institute, as the 3rd Deputy Director; and Park Seon-won, Special Advisor for Foreign Affairs and Security at the NIS, as the Director of the Planning and Coordination Office. They are scheduled to be appointed as of tomorrow."

Spokesperson Kang explained, "This deputy director-level personnel change at the NIS was carried out to revitalize the organization in line with the appointment of the new NIS Director Park Ji-won and the restructuring of the organization."

Park Jung-hyun, 2nd Deputy Director of the National Intelligence Service. [Photo by Cheong Wa Dae]

Park Jeong-hyun, the 2nd Deputy Director of the NIS, was born in 1962 and graduated from Busan High School and Korea University with a major in Chinese Language and Literature. He previously served as Secretary General of the NIS (current position). He has held positions such as head of the counterterrorism department and administrative officer at the Presidential Secretariat's National Crisis Management Office. He entered the NIS through the level 7 public recruitment exam.

Spokesperson Kang explained, "The 1st Deputy Director oversees both North Korea-related affairs and overseas operations to maximize integration and synergy effects. Previously, North Korea-related affairs were under the 2nd Deputy Director, but considering the close connection between overseas and North Korea-related affairs, the structure has been reorganized. The current Deputy Director Kim Sang-gyun will perform the duties of the 1st Deputy Director."

Spokesperson Kang said, "The 2nd Deputy Director has been strengthened by transferring North Korea-related affairs and focusing on counterintelligence, counterterrorism, security, anti-espionage, industrial technology leakage, international crime, and defense industry, which were previously under the 3rd Deputy Director."

Spokesperson Kang stated, "Park Jeong-hyun, the 2nd Deputy Director, is an expert in counterterrorism and counterintelligence, having extensive experience in foreign affairs counterintelligence, terrorism information, and security policy. He has excellent external activity capabilities and work execution skills. Since the launch of the Moon Jae-in administration, he has served as Secretary General to the NIS Director, successfully supporting NIS reforms. We expect him to continue strengthening the NIS’s core counterterrorism and counterintelligence functions."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Kim Seon-hee, the 3rd Deputy Director of the NIS, was born in 1969 and graduated from Daegu Namsan Girls' High School, Kyungpook National University with a major in German Language and Literature, and holds a master's degree in International Relations from Korea University. She has served as Director of the NIS Intelligence Education Institute (current position). She has also held positions such as head of the Audit Office and Director of the Cyber Policy Department. She entered the NIS through the level 7 public recruitment exam.

Spokesperson Kang explained, "Kim Seon-hee, the 3rd Deputy Director, will be responsible for scientific intelligence activities to respond to changes in the global intelligence environment. The scientific intelligence function, previously handled by a level 1 headquarters director, has now been elevated to be exclusively managed by the 3rd Deputy Director."

Spokesperson Kang added, "This is a measure to further strengthen the scientific intelligence capabilities that the NIS has steadily expanded, following the trend of intelligence agencies worldwide. For the first time in NIS history, a woman has been appointed as a deputy director. The selection was based on expertise and capability."

Spokesperson Kang said, "Kim Seon-hee, the new 3rd Deputy Director of the NIS, has built long-term expertise in scientific intelligence and cyber security departments. Since the government’s launch, she has served as head of the audit and education departments, earning a reputation for dedication to internal innovation at the NIS. We expect her to successfully carry out the reorganized duties of the 3rd Deputy Director, which include strengthening responses to advanced technology leakage and cyber threats."

Park Seon-won, Director of the NIS Planning and Coordination Office, was born in 1963 and graduated from Yeongsanpo Commercial High School in Jeonnam, Yonsei University with a major in Business Administration, holds a master's degree in East Asian Studies from Yonsei University, and a Ph.D. in International Politics from the University of Warwick in the UK. He currently serves as Special Advisor for Foreign Affairs and Security at the NIS. He has served as Consul General in Shanghai, visiting researcher at the Brookings Institution in the United States, and Secretary for Unification, Foreign Affairs, and Security Strategy at the Presidential Secretariat.

Spokesperson Kang said, "Park Seon-won, the new Director of the NIS Planning and Coordination Office, is an expert on North Korea and international politics who has worked across academia, government, and the private sector. He is recognized for combining theoretical knowledge, practical experience, reformist spirit, and drive. We expect him to support the successful completion of NIS reforms through internal organizational renewal."