South Korea President names new security team

Seoul, Nov 1: South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun today named an almost completely new security team in his cabinet just as North Korea announced it would return to talks to end its nuclear weapons programme.

Analysts generally expect the new ministers for foreign affairs, unification, defence and the new spy chief to continue Roh's policy of engaging the reclusive North Korean government.

Song Min-soon, Roh's chief national security adviser, was named foreign minister, the presidential office said.

He was a key architect of an international accord in September last year under which Pyongyang agreed in principle to end its nuclear weapons.

North Korean announced today it would return to the multilateral talks on its nuclear weapons, which it had snubbed for the past year.

Song takes over from Ban Ki-moon who will replace Kofi Annan as secretary-general of the United Nations.

Roh also named Lee Jae-joung, a former member of parliament and head of a presidential advisory council on North Korean affairs, as unification minister to head Seoul's relations with Pyongyang.

Army Chief of Staff Kim Jang-soo was picked to head the defence ministry. Roh also promoted Kim Man-bok, the current number two at the National Intelligence Service, to head the spy agency.

Reuters