South Korea's Lee names first civilian defence minister in decades


South Korean army soldiers patrol along the barbed-wire fence in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, June 12, 2025. South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung named veteran lawmaker Ahn Gyu-back as the country's first civilian defence minister in 64 years. - AP

SEOUL: South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung named veteran lawmaker Ahn Gyu-back as the country's first civilian defence minister in 64 years on Monday (June 23), making good on a campaign promise made after December's martial law shook faith in the military.

Lee, who took office on June 4 after winning a snap election called when former President Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office over the martial law attempt, also named ten other cabinet ministers including former UN ambassador Cho Hyun as foreign minister and a North Korea diplomacy advocate, Chung Dong-young, as unification minister, his office said.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Aseanplus News

Trump meets Vietnam leader To Lam, vows to remove Hanoi from restricted lists
North Korea leader Kim Jong-un reviews country’s progress at key party congress
Residents in Australia’s Victoria state urged to evacuate as bushfire rages
Kim opens rare party congress
Fresh faces campaign on anti-corruption platform
Call for ‘human control’ of AI
Takaichi vows growth push, defence reset
Pakistan, US sign pact to redevelop Roosevelt Hotel
Yoon remains defiant after life term
Thai police go undercover as lion dancers to nab burglar

Others Also Read