S. Korea appoints new military leaders amid rising threats from N. Korea

South Korea's military appointed senior commanders to two key posts as part of an ongoing effort to better counter rising threats from North Korea, the defense ministry said Monday.

Um Hyun-seong, 58, vice chairman of Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff, will take over from the current Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jung Ho-sup. Leem Ho-young, 57, chief director of JCS's Strategic Planning Directorate, will replace Gen.

Kim Hyun-jip as deputy commander of the Combined Forces Command, the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.

The new appointments are part of the regular reshuffle of top brass, it said.

"Um is unrivaled in his expertise and leadership in naval military operations. Leem is an expert in joint military operations and in the transition of wartime operational control," the statement said.

President Park Geun-hye will appoint them to the key posts within this week after the National Assembly makes a final review of the nominations on Tuesday, a ministry spokesman said.

After the appointments, the military leadership is expected to carry out an additional shake-up of military personnel in October, according to the ministry.

The selection was made after considering the nominees' administrative philosophy, professionalism, leadership and innovative capacity, it said. (Yonhap)