President Lee Jae Myung Names New Communications, Civil Affairs Secretaries

President Lee Jae Myung appointed new senior presidential secretaries for communications and civil affairs along with three other aides on June 21, 2026. The presidential chief of staff announced the changes. Seong Ghi-hong, former CEO and president of Yonhap News Agency, was named presidential secretary for public relations and communication.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik described Seong Ghi-hong as a veteran journalist with 30 years of experience. "He will closely listen to people's voices and faithfully carry out communication with the public so that people can easily understand the results of government policies," Kang Hoon-sik said.

Han Chan-sik, a former senior prosecutor, was appointed presidential secretary for civil affairs.

Kim Kyoung-ja, former vice chairperson of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, was named presidential secretary for social affairs. Former Army commander Kang Gun-jark was appointed first deputy national security adviser. Song Ki-ho, a senior official at the National Security Office, was named third deputy national security adviser.

President Lee Jae Myung also appointed Nam Jae-heon as vice minister of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Nam Jae-heon is a senior oceans ministry official overseeing Seoul's envisioned expansion of Arctic shipping routes. "Nam is the right person to usher in an era of Arctic shipping routes and advance South Korea's aim to become a strong maritime nation," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

The appointments occurred as President Lee Jae Myung entered the second year of his five-year term. President Lee Jae Myung took office in June 2025.