Retired admiral, former Hyundai executive named top defense procurement official

By Sam Kim
SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korea named a retired rear admiral and former
Hyundai executive as its top military procurement official in a government-wide
reshuffle on Monday.
Byun Moo-keun, 63, will take over from Yang Chi-kyu, the Defense Acquisition
Program Administration said in a statement. Byun will be the first with
experience in the Navy to head the organization that runs an annual budget of
approximately 10 trillion won (US$7.4 billion).
Byun's appointment came as President Lee Myung-bak replaced his top finance
official and head of the Unification Ministry, which coordinates policies on
inter-Korean exchanges.
Byun retired from the Navy in 2003 and worked as an executive at Hyundai Heavy
Industries Co. for about four years. He served as a national security advisor for
Lee, former Seoul mayor and Hyundai construction chief, when he campaigned for
office in 2007.
"Byun's experience at Hyundai following his retirement will provide him with a
new engine to boost the economic growth of the defense industry," the statement
said.
Byun led the Third Republic of Korea Fleet in 1998 when his unit defeated a North
Korean semi-submarine off the southern coast after an hours-long chase, the
statement added. Naval clashes also took place near the western sea border in
1999 and 2002.
The two Koreas fought the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in a truce rather than a
peace treaty.
samkim@yna.co.kr
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