Yoon Nominates Cho Tae-yong as NIS Director and Cho Tae-yeol as Foreign Minister (Update)

Yoon Administration Partially Reveals New Diplomatic and Security Team... Emphasizing 'Expertise'

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 19th nominated Cho Tae-yong, Director of the National Security Office, as the candidate for Director of the National Intelligence Service, and Cho Tae-yul, former UN Ambassador, as the candidate for Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Kim Dae-gi, Chief of Staff to the President, announced these appointments on the afternoon of the same day at the Yongsan Presidential Office.

Cho Tae-yong, Director of the National Security Office, nominated as a candidate for the Director of the National Intelligence Service (left), and Cho Tae-yeol, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, nominated as a candidate for Minister of Foreign Affairs, are having a conversation on the 19th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Candidate Cho Tae-yong was born in Seoul in 1956. After graduating from Kyunggi High School, he majored in Political Science at Seoul National University and entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1980 through the 14th Foreign Service Examination. In 1993, he served as First Secretary at the Embassy in the United States, then worked as Director of the North America Division 2 and Division 1 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In 2002, he was the North America Division 2 Counselor, in 2004 he led the North Korean Nuclear Task Force (TF), and in 2006 he served as Director of the North America Bureau. After the launch of the Yoon administration, he was appointed Director of the National Security Office in March of this year.

Chief of Staff Kim said of candidate Cho, "He is a diplomatic and security strategist who has held key positions, well-versed in both US relations and North Korean security issues, with abundant experience." He added, "Having achieved results in raising South Korea's international stature and establishing a flawless security posture, it is expected that he will elevate the security and intelligence capabilities of the National Intelligence Service to the next level as its director."

Candidate Cho also stated, "The National Intelligence Service is the nation's pivotal intelligence agency standing at the forefront of protecting the Republic of Korea," and added, "I will devote all my efforts to making the National Intelligence Service a world-class intelligence agency that can compete with any intelligence agency globally."

Candidate Cho Tae-yul has served as Director of the International Trade Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Counselor for Trade Policy Planning, Director of the Regional Trade Bureau, Deputy Ambassador to the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations in Geneva, Trade Negotiation Coordinator at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to Spain, and Ambassador for Development Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 2013 to 2016, he served as the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, overseeing multilateral diplomacy and development cooperation. Notably, candidate Cho is also known as the youngest son of the Cheongnokpa poet Cho Ji-hoon, famous for works such as 'Seungmu' and 'Nakhwa.' Chief of Staff Kim said, "He is well-versed in bilateral and multilateral economic trade," and expressed expectations that "his expertise will greatly contribute to resolving our pressing issues where economy and diplomacy are intricately intertwined."

Candidate Cho said, "I will devote my utmost efforts to wisely navigating the severe external environment, expanding the position, strategic space, and scope of activities of our diplomacy, and firmly establishing the foundation for national security and prosperity."

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