Nat’l Security Adviser nominee Shin Won-sik to double as defense chief until successor takes office

National Security Adviser nominee Shin Won-sik will continue to serve as defense minister until his successor takes office after a parliamentary confirmation hearing, a government official said Tuesday. On Monday, President Yoon Suk Yeol named Shin as the national security adviser and Presidential Security Service chief Kim Yong-hyun to replace him as defense minister. While Shin is able to assume his new role shortly, Kim has to undergo the parliamentary hearing. "Until Defense Minister nominee Kim Yong-hyun is appointed after a parliamentary hearing process, National Security Adviser nominee Shin Won-sik will double as defense minister," the official said. The move is likely intended to prevent the defense minister's position from becoming vacant, considering security threats posed by North Korea. Former Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin served in both roles until his successor took office when he was appointed as national security adviser in 2014. The parliamentary confirmation hearing is widely seen as a formality because Kim's formal appointment does not require endorsement from the National Assembly. In South Korea, the prime minister is the only Cabinet post that requires parliamentary approval. Source: Yonhap News Agency