[News Figure] Who Is Kim Nam-woo, Newly Appointed Director General of the National Intelligence Service Policy Office?

Investigation Commanded on Alleged Absence of Former Minister Choo Mi-ae's Son from Leave
Left Prosecution for Kim & Chang Lawyer Role, Returns to Public Office After 2 Years

Namwoo Kim, former Deputy Chief Prosecutor of Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yunjin Kim] Namwoo Kim, former Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office, has been appointed as the successor to Sangjun Cho, former Director of Planning and Coordination at the National Intelligence Service (NIS). With Kim's appointment, a former prosecutor will consecutively assume the position of Director of Planning and Coordination.

Born in Seoul in 1969, Kim began his career as a prosecutor in 1999 at the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office after graduating from the 28th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute. From 2011 to early 2013, he served as a senior administrative officer in the Blue House's Civil Affairs Office. Subsequently, he held key positions in the Ministry of Justice and prosecution, including Director of the Legal Affairs Division at the Ministry of Justice, Director of Investigation Command and Director of Policy Planning at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, and Chief of the Criminal Division 1 at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

He has previously worked with President Yoon Seok-yeol at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. During the period when President Yoon was the head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, Kim served as Chief of the Criminal Division 1 and led investigations into allegations such as the prosecution's interference in the Kangwon Land recruitment corruption case, cover-up of sexual harassment within the prosecution, the Lee Myung-bak administration's National Human Rights Commission blacklist case, and the defamation case involving Liberty Korea Party lawmakers and 5.18 merit recipients.

In February 2020, he was appointed Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office and led the investigation into allegations of unauthorized leave by the son of former Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae, but left the prosecution in August of the same year. Some interpreted his departure as being sidelined in promotion due to his leadership in investigations related to former Minister Choo, and speculated that it was a protest resignation against the organizational restructuring pushed by former Minister Choo, which was criticized as weakening the prosecution's power. Since then, he has worked as a lawyer at Kim & Chang law firm.

The Director of Planning and Coordination at the NIS oversees organizational management and budgeting, effectively serving as the second-in-command within the agency. On the 25th, former Director Sangjun Cho tendered his resignation, which was immediately approved by the Presidential Office, leaving the position vacant. As Cho was known as a close associate of President Yoon's prosecution circle, various analyses such as 'personnel conflicts' arose regarding the resignation background, but the Presidential Office dismissed these, stating it was due to "personal reasons."