▲ Defense Minister nominee Shin Won-sik is seen in this file photo taken July 9, 2023, at the National Assembly in western Seoul. (Yonhap)

(profile) defense minister nominee

(profile) Retired general-turned-lawmaker named as new defense chief

SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister nominee Shin Won-sik, a lawmaker of the ruling People Power Party, is a retired three-star Army general known for his expertise in defense policy and military operations, and as a vocal supporter of President Yoon Suk Yeol's drive to bolster security ties with the United States.

After a parliamentary hearing process, the 65-year-old is set to replace Lee Jong-sup as defense minister. Lee will leave after more than one year on the job as the Yoon administration's first defense chief.

A graduate of the Korea Military Academy in 1981, Shin held various prominent posts in the military before entering politics in 2016.

He served as the head of the defense ministry's Policy Planning Bureau from 2011 to 2012 before leading the Joint Chiefs of Staff's (JCS) Chief Directorate of Operations from October 2013 to April 2015.

Shin capped off his military career as the JCS vice chairman before his discharge in January 2016.

In 2020, he was elected as a lawmaker in the legislative elections for a proportional representation seat of then opposition Future Korea Party.

If confirmed as defense minister, Shin is expected to be tasked with overseeing the Yoon government's efforts to expand security cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan against North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats.

As a lawmaker, Shin has been a staunch supporter of strengthening the military's capabilities to deter the North's threats and has hailed Yoon's efforts to deepen cooperation with the United States.

He has called the Washington Declaration issued by Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden during their White House summit in April the countries' "second" alliance treaty.

The declaration entails efforts to strengthen bilateral security cooperation, including the establishment of a Nuclear Consultative Group, designed to discuss nuclear and strategic planning.

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