Cheong Wa Dae denied speculation Tuesday that President Park Geun-hye fired her top aide for foreign affairs over the mishandling of a fighter jet development project.

Park named Kim Kyou-hyun, deputy chief of the presidential office of national security, as her new senior secretary for foreign affairs and security, replacing Ju Chul-ki in a partial reshuffle Monday.

Public criticism has been high following the United States rejecting South Korea's request for the transfer of some core technologies needed for Seoul's fighter jet development program.

The presidential office said the replacement was not to censure Ju, noting Ju had repeatedly offered to quit, citing fatigue from work. Ju joined the national security team in early 2013, when Park took office.

Kim Sung-woo, chief presidential press secretary, said the replacement and a partial Cabinet shake-up was something Park planned before she traveled to the U.S. last week for summit talk with U.S. President Barack Obama.

Kim also said screening officials for presidential and Cabinet posts could not be done in just one or two days.

Kim also said Park accepted the resignation offer by two presidential special advisers -- Yoon Sang-hyun and Kim Jae-won, both lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party.

Kim said the two lawmakers are believed to have offered to quit to prepare for parliamentary elections in April. (Yonhap)