Moon prudent in forming security team

Immediately after North Korea conducted its latest missile test, Sunday, President Moon Jae-in convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting.

Awkwardly, however, the meeting included many security officials appointed by the ousted President Park Geun-hye.

These officials are likely to retain their jobs for the time being because Moon will be “prudent” in revamping the lineup regardless of North Korea’s provocations, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Of the six key NSC members who were at the meeting, Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok was the only official tapped by Moon. The five other Park appointees were National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin, Defense Minister Han Min-koo, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo and National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Lee Byung-ho.

Moon is yet to find replacements for Kim, Han, Yun and Hong.

Moon nominated Suh Hoon, a former NIS deputy director, to succeed Lee.

But to get the job, Suh will need to undergo a National Assembly confirmation hearing the same as ministerial nominees.

This means the Moon administration could take at least a month to confirm its security and foreign policy lineup, according to analysts.

As presidential staff, Im and Kim’s possible successors are not subject to the Assembly’s approval.

“The Moon administration will need to put up with the possible discomfort of living with Park’s aides as roommates,” a political source said.

The source said that Moon’s progressive diplomatic and security policies are different from those of Park.

Moon is expected to implement a “Sunshine Policy” as embraced by earlier liberal presidents — Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun — to resume dialogue with North Korea, while Park maintained a hard-line policy on Pyongyang.

Despite this, the presidential office said it will not hurry but will thoroughly screen the candidates for the defense, foreign and unification ministers.

“The security and foreign policy lineup is very important and we are being extremely prudent choosing the nominees accordingly,” a Cheong Wa Dae official said. “Some may disagree with our working style but we are working as fast as we can to fill in the posts.”

A different official echoed the view, saying, “Security and diplomacy are more than an ideological division and that is why President Moon had Park’s aides join the NSC meeting.”

The Moon administration is debating whether to have a retired diplomat or a former military officer serve as the National Security Office chief.

Among the possible candidates are former Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Chung Ui-yong and former Ambassador to Russia Wi Sung-rak who also served as Seoul’s top envoy in multilateral talks on Pyongyang’s denuclearization.