[Exclusive] Kim Ki-jung, Former 2nd Deputy Director of the National Security Office, Appointed as Head of the National Security Strategy Institute Amid Conduct Controversy

Kim Ki-jung, former Deputy Director of the National Security Office at the Blue House

It has been reported that Kim Ki-jung, a former professor in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Yonsei University, has been appointed as the head of the National Security Strategy Institute, a government-funded research institution. He was initially appointed as the Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office at the Blue House early in the Moon Jae-in administration in 2017, but resigned voluntarily after 12 days following repeated concerns raised by women's organizations regarding his 'inappropriate conduct' during his time as a professor.

According to diplomatic and security sources on the 16th, former Second Deputy Director Kim has been appointed as the head of the National Security Strategy Institute and is expected to officially assume the position soon.

Professor Kim, originally from Tongyeong, Gyeongnam, graduated from Yonsei University's Department of Political Science and Diplomacy and earned his master's and doctoral degrees in political science from the University of Connecticut. During the Roh Moo-hyun administration, he served as a policy advisory member of the Blue House Secretariat, a policy advisory member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a member of the Presidential Advisory Policy Planning Committee.

At the start of the Moon Jae-in administration, he served as the chairman of the foreign affairs subcommittee of the State Affairs Planning Advisory Committee before being appointed as the Second Deputy Director of the National Security Office, but he was unable to hold the position for even two weeks. When strong opinions arose from women's organizations and others labeling him as an 'inappropriate appointment,' the Blue House conducted additional verification, which reportedly led Kim to offer his resignation.

At the time, the Blue House only stated, "He expressed his intention to resign taking moral responsibility for the rumors circulating in the public." Although the specifics of the 'rumors circulating in the public' were not disclosed, it is known that there were criticisms from various sectors regarding inappropriate language and behavior during his tenure as a professor.

When Kim resigned as Second Deputy Director, the Liberty Korea Party issued a spokesperson's statement saying, "There are rampant speculations about what Kim's inappropriate conduct was, including reports of sexual harassment and misogyny," adding, "If true, it is a serious flaw that would prevent him from holding high public office or even a professorship."

It is also known that Kim was nominated as ambassador to India in September of this year but was dropped after the controversy resurfaced following his resignation as Second Deputy Director.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.