South Korea’s Presidential Office announced a surprise reshuffle of top security officials responsible for overseeing defenses against North Korean threats, citing increasing global security challenges like Pyongyang’s growing military ties with Russia.

President Yoon Suk-yeol has tapped defense minister Shin Won-sik to serve as new national security adviser after less than a year in his current role, while naming Presidential Security Service chief Kim Yong-hyun as Shin's successor.