Korea’s New President Nominates Former Unification Minister as New Spy Chief

Here is a blast from the past, former Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok has been selected to be the next director of the National Intelligence Service:

President Lee Jae-myung (C) delivers his first personnel announcement during a press conference at the presidential office in Seoul on June 4, 2025. (From L to R) National Intelligence Service chief nominee Lee Jong-seok, Prime Minister nominee Kim Min-seok, Lee, chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac. (Yonhap)

Later Wednesday, Lee nominated former Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok, a dove who favors greater rapprochement with North Korea, as his spy chief. The nomination is likely related to Lee Jae-myung’s hopes to reopen talks, as the National Intelligence Service previously played a behind-tene role to promote ties with North Korea, observers say. Lee Jae-myung also nominated his key political ally and veteran lawmaker Kim Min-seok as prime minister, the government’s No. 2 job. Lee is expected to nominate other top Cabinet members in coming days.

Stars & Stripes

You can read more at the link, but Lee Jae-myung has basically put a Pyongyang cheerleader in charge of the ROK intellgence service. Kim Jong-un has to be thrilled by this selection. During his time as unification minister Lee Jong-seok was involved in establishing the quasi-slave labor Kaesong Industrial Complex that has since been shuttered. He was also helping the ROK government send more money to North Korea than they contributed to USFK cost sharing. He even said that due to all the money they were giving to North Korea that no one there was starving any more. Like I said Kim Jong-un is going to love this selection.