Wang Yoon-jong, 3rd Deputy Director of the National Security Office Responsible for 'Economic Security,' Says "Overcoming Crises in Emerging and Cyber Domains"

Appointment of Wang Yoonjong as 3rd Deputy Director of Security
Expert with Global Economic Security Experience Including US and China
Professor An Sehyun of University of Seoul Appointed as Economic Security Secretary

President Yoon Suk-yeol established a new Third Deputy Director position in the National Security Office dedicated to economic security on the 10th, appointing Wang Yoon-jong, the current Economic Security Secretary, as the new Third Deputy Director. Since the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration in May last year, Deputy Director Wang has focused on supply chain diplomacy as the Economic Security Secretary. Deputy Director Wang stated, "As the Third Deputy Director entrusted with a heavy responsibility, I will take charge not only of economic security but also of emerging security cooperation and cyber security, and overcome crises effectively."

Lee Kwan-seop, Chief of Staff to the President, announced this personnel appointment of the National Security Office at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon. Lee introduced Wang by saying, "We have appointed the current Economic Security Secretary Wang Yoon-jong as the newly established Third Deputy Director of the National Security Office," and added, "The appointee is an expert who has combined practical experience and theory, having worked in academia and business circles and gained extensive experience in global economic security fields including the United States and China." He further explained, "Having served as the Economic Security Secretary newly established under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, leading economic security dialogues among Korea-US, Korea-US-Japan, and Korea-Japan, he understands and implements our government's expanded security policy direction better than anyone else, and is expected to contribute to promoting national interests on the global stage."

President Yoon Suk-yeol appointed Wang Yoon-jong, Economic Security Secretary, as the 3rd Deputy Director of the National Security Office on the 10th, the presidential office announced.
[Photo by Yonhap News]
[Photo by the Presidential Office]

As a follow-up appointment, Professor Ahn Se-hyun of the University of Seoul was appointed as the new Economic Security Secretary. He is known as an expert well-versed in international politics, economics, and energy security.

On the same day, Deputy Director Wang also emphasized strengthening the economic security sector. Wang said, "Recently, the Supply Chain Basic Act was passed, and the Special Act on Resource Security is also being passed, showing that both ruling and opposition parties share the same opinion on supply chain stability and economic security," adding, "As the Third Deputy Director entrusted with a heavy responsibility, I will take charge not only of economic security but also of emerging security cooperation and cyber security, and overcome crises effectively."

Earlier, the National Security Office announced that it would implement an organizational reform effective from the 11th, centered on establishing the Third Deputy Director position. This measure is to effectively respond to crises surrounding economic security amid intensifying geopolitical and geoeconomic risks. Above all, it reflects the increasing importance of economic security due to the ongoing global supply chain disruptions caused by the US-China trade conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the invasion of Israel by the Palestinian armed faction Hamas, as well as fierce competition in core and emerging technologies. In fact, major countries handle economic, trade, and advanced technology policies at the national security level, and bodies like the US National Security Council (NSC) have established separate independent departments responsible for economic security functions (such as Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economics and Deputy Assistant for Cybersecurity).

Following the organizational reform, the National Security Office will operate under a structure of one office with three deputy directors: the First Deputy Director will be responsible for diplomatic security, the Second Deputy Director for defense security, and the Third Deputy Director for economic security. The First Deputy Director will coordinate and manage current issues in diplomacy and security as well as overall National Security Office policies, concurrently serving as the NSC Secretary-General. The Second 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 Third Deputy Director will be responsible for emerging security tasks including economic security, science and technology, and cyber security.