National Security Office Establishes 3rd Deputy Director for 'Economic Security'... Contributing to Corporate Competitiveness and Public Welfare

3rd Deputy Director Takes Charge of Emerging Security Tasks Including Economic and Technology Protection

The National Security Office announced on the 9th that it will implement an organizational reform, effective from the 11th, centered on the establishment of a 3rd Deputy Director position.

The Presidential Office stated on the same day, "This organizational reform of the National Security Office, the first to be pursued under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, aims to timely and effectively respond to challenges surrounding our economic security, such as the intensification of geopolitical and geoeconomic risks," and announced the establishment of the 3rd Deputy Director position.

This organizational reform reflects the increasing importance of economic security amid the ongoing global supply chain disruptions caused by the US-China trade conflict, the Russia war, and the invasion of Israel by the Palestinian armed faction Hamas, as well as the fierce competition in core and emerging technologies.

Major countries handle economic, trade, and advanced technology policies from a national security perspective, and organizations like the US National Security Council (NSC) have established separate independent departments responsible for economic security functions (such as the Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economics and the Deputy Assistant for Cybersecurity).

Following the organizational reform, the National Security Office will operate under a structure of one office and three deputy directors, with the 1st Deputy Director responsible for diplomatic security, the 2nd Deputy Director for defense security, and the 3rd Deputy Director for economic security.

The 1st Deputy Director will coordinate and manage current issues in diplomacy and security as well as overall policies of the National Security Office, concurrently serving as the NSC Secretary-General. The 2nd Deputy Director will assist the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, build defense security capabilities, manage defense policy issues, and maintain a constant national crisis management system. The 3rd Deputy Director will be responsible for emerging security tasks, including economic security, science and technology, and cyber security.

The functions of the Economic Security Secretary’s Office, which previously handled supply chains, export controls, and nuclear power, will be expanded and strengthened to include science and technology security tasks such as cooperation on core and emerging technologies and technology protection. Additionally, the Cyber Security Secretary’s Office, which was under the 2nd Deputy Director, will be transferred to the 3rd Deputy Director’s office.

The Presidential Office explained, "With this organizational reform, the National Security Office will establish a more organic and systematic response system to various complex security crises," and added, "Strengthening economic security, science and technology, and cyber security is also expected to contribute to enhancing the competitiveness of our companies and stabilizing the livelihoods of our citizens."