Park's new chief of staff a political, Japan expert

SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Yonhap) -- President Park Geun-hye's choice for chief of staff is known as one of her closest political advisers since her days as the opposition party leader more than 10 years ago. A former career diplomat, Lee Byung-kee served in various roles under Presidents Roh Tae-woo and Kim Young-sam, including as second deputy chief of the national spy agency. As second deputy chief, he was responsible for leading operations to bring Hwang Jang-yop, the highest-ranking North Korean to defect to South Korea, into the country. Hwang was a secretary of the North's ruling Workers' Party when he fled his homeland in 1997. After retiring from public office, Lee worked as a visiting professor at Japan's Keio University and began offering political advice to Park starting in 2004. He won Park's confidence, especially during the 2007 presidential primaries as deputy chief of her election campaign. Following Park's inauguration in February 2013, Lee was appointed ambassador to Japan and then chief of the national spy agency, the National Intelligence Service, in June 2014. He is known to be prudent in his words and actions, while having an acute sense of political affairs. hague@yna.co.kr (END)