President Lee Myung-bak on Sunday named a senior journalist and former head of SBS television as his new chief of staff in a reshuffle that also affected six other posts at the top office, including appointing a spokeswoman for foreign media.

Ha Kum-loul, 61, was tapped to replace Yim Tae-hee as chief of presidential staff, Lee‘s office said in a statement.

Ha spent decades as a TV journalist and served as head of SBS TV, one of the three largest television networks in South Korea, from 2007-2009. He is now head of an SBS subsidiary while concurrently serving as chair of the board of directors at the TV network.

Ha, equipped with broad and balanced perspectives, reasonable personality and a wide network of personal connections, was considered the right person to complete the major tasks of the Lee administration in its final year in office, the statement said.

Lee also named Noh Yun-hong, a technocrat who now heads the Korea Food and Drug Administration, as his new senior secretary for employment and welfare affairs, while tapping a career diplomat, Lee Mi-yon, as his new spokeswoman for foreign media.

Also replaced were four other posts handling planning and administrative affairs at the top office. (Yonhap News)