President Moon Jae-in on Friday replaced eight vice minister-level officials, including those at the science and unification ministries, Cheong Wa Dae announced.

Yong Hong-taek, the science ministry's director of research and development policy, was promoted to first vice science minister, and Cho Kyeong-sik, Cheong Wa Dae's secretary for digital innovation, was named second vice science minister.

Choi Young-joon, the unification ministry's director for unification policy, was promoted to vice minister, and Hwang Seong-kyu, a member of the land ministry's metropolitan transport commission, was picked as the second vice land minister.

Kim Woo-ho, the deputy at the personnel management ministry, was promoted to minister, and Lim Jae-hyeon, director of the tax and customs office at the finance ministry, was picked as the head of the Korea Customs Service.

Chung Suk-hwan, head of the defense ministry's national defense policy, was tapped to head the Military Manpower Administration, and Choi Byeong-am, the deputy at the Korea Forest Service, was promoted to head the agency.

"(Moon) selected most apt personnel based on the standards of professional expertise and ethicality," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kang Min-seok said.

"The reshuffle is intended to stabilize (the management of) government organizations by promoting internal members and to instill a breath of new energy into the administration of state affairs." (Yonhap)