South Korean president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol officially kicked off his transition team on Friday without a subcommittee explicitly responsible for inter-Korean affairs, reflecting the low priority of North Korea engagement in his foreign policy agenda. 

Launching with around 50 days until Yoon’s inauguration, the transition committee also features three North Korea hardliners who served under previous conservative administrations and will be responsible for foreign policy and security issues during the handover period.

According to Yoon’s spokesperson, 24 members currently serve on the transition team across seven subcommittees. But whereas previous conservative presidents in waiting nominated advisers for “foreign, security and unification”