ISTANBUL

South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung Monday named top picks for foreign and defense ministries, after almost three weeks into the top executive office.

Former first Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun was named as the new foreign minister while four-term ruling Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker Ahn Gyu-back was named to lead the Defense Ministry, Yonhap News reported.

Lee also nominated Chung Dong-young as the unification minister, who is responsible for inter-Korean affairs.

Lee was elected to the Presidential Office in the June 3 snap elections, triggered by the ouster of his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached over a failed bid to impose martial law.

Cho served as the vice minister under former President Moon Jae-in the government of the DP, and later represented South Korea at the UN in 2019-2022.

Ahn, a veteran politician, has mostly served on the defense subcommittee of the parliament, locally known as the National Assembly.

“If confirmed, he will be the first ‘civilian’ defense minister since 1961,” the report said.

Former President Park Chung-hee had seized power through a military coup in 1961 before South Korea transformed into a democracy in the early 1980s.

A former journalist, now a veteran DP lawmaker, Chung Dong-young earlier served as the unification minister under the Roh Moo-hyun government in 2004-2005.

All Cabinet nominees will undergo a parliament confirmation process.