(LEAD) Moon picks veteran diplomat as key Cheong Wa Dae aide on national security affairs

(ATTN: UPDATES with details from 3rd para; CHANGES photo)

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in appointed Kim Hyoung-zhin, a veteran diplomat, as new deputy chief of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office on Wednesday.

Kim, currently serving as the Seoul city government's ambassador for international relations, is replacing Kim Hyun-chong, who has been named as special adviser to the president on diplomatic and security issues, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok.

The incoming Cheong Wa Dae official earlier served as South Korea's ambassador to the European Union and Belgium as well as director general of the foreign ministry's North American affairs bureau.

The announcement followed a partial Cabinet reshuffle to replace Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha with Chung Eui-yong, former director of national security at Cheong Wa Dae. Chung is known to have played a major role in Seoul-Washington consultations on the Korea peace process.

The new lineup of Moon's key security aides came as Joe Biden is set to be inaugurated as U.S. president.

Moon also named Lee Jung-hee, a lawyer, as vice head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, a vice ministerial position.

lcd@yna.co.kr
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