North Korea and South Korea to decide date, venue for 3rd summit
Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in met on April 27 and May 26 this year; high-level talks launched on Monday to discuss the date and venue for a third summit
South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday named top-level presidential staff and cabinet members on security, foreign affairs and economy.
Moon, at a press conference at the presidential Blue House, announced the appointment of Chung Eui-yong as his top national security advisor, Xinhua news agency reported.
Chung is a career diplomat who was mainly in charge of trade. He is a former lawmaker of the Uri Party, a predecessor of the current ruling Democratic Party.
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During the presidential campaign, Chung led a special advisory group overseeing Moon's diplomatic policy.
The top security post was usually held by former military commanders.
Moon Chung-in, an honorary professor at Yonsei University in Seoul, and Hong Seok-hyun, former chief of a local newspaper and cable channel, were named special presidential aides for unification, security and diplomatic affairs.
President Moon told the media that he will discuss the new government's policy stance on unification, security and diplomatic affairs together with the two new special aides.
On the economic front, Chang Ha-sung, an economics professor at Korea University in Seoul, was appointed as a new presidential chief of staff for policy which was newly created under the Moon government. The post is tasked with coordinating economic policies.
Two cabinet members in charge of economic and diplomatic affairs were appointed first, indicating Moon's focus on the two main issues and their urgency.
Kim Dong-yeon, president of Ajou University, was named finance minister who doubles as deputy prime minister.
Kang Kyung-hwa, a special advisor to the UN secretary-general, was tapped to lead the foreign ministry. Kang will become the country's first female foreign minister following the parliamentary confirmation hearings.
A Prime Minister nominee is required to be approved by the National Assembly, but other cabinet members take office after the confirmation hearings.
The parliamentary hearing or approval is not required for the senior presidential staff.
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