South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday named five new ministers, including a defense chief, in his first cabinet reshuffle since he took office in May last year, Xinhua reported.
Jeong Kyeong-doo, 58, the incumbent chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), was nominated to replace Defense Minister Song Young-moo.
If confirmed, he would be the first Air Force general to become the country's defense chief in two decades.
A minister nominee is required to undergo a parliamentary hearing though the nomination requires no approval of the unicameral National Assembly.
Rep. Yoo Eun-hae of the ruling Democratic Party, 56, a two-term lawmaker, was named as new education minister who doubles as deputy prime minister for social affairs.
Sung Yun-mo, 55, the current chief of the Korea Intellectual Property Office, was tapped to lead the trade, industry and energy ministry.
The labor ministry will be led by former vice labor minister, Lee Jae-kap, 60. Rep. Jin Sun-mee, 51, a two-term ruling party lawmaker, was nominated as the new minister of gender equality and family.
Four other vice-ministerial-level officials were named, including the head of the Office of Planning and Coordination at the spy agency as well as chiefs of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Central Officials Training Institute and the Cultural Heritage Administration.