President Yoon Suk Yeol approved the appointment of Kim Yong-hyun, former head of the Presidential Security Service, as defense minister and presented a certificate of appointment on Friday, his office said.

Kim, a retired three-star Army general and close aide to Yoon, was nominated to the post last month to replace then minister Shin Won-sik, who has since served as national security adviser.

Following Yoon's election in May 2022, Kim led efforts to relocate the presidential office from Cheong Wa Dae to the defense ministry's compound in Yongsan, central Seoul. He has served as the chief of the Presidential Security Service for over two years.

During his confirmation hearing, Kim faced tough questioning from opposition lawmakers about security breaches at the presidential office, including the landing of North Korea's trash-filled balloons within the compound in July and drone incursions into nearby airspace in December 2022.

Kim also dismissed opposition-led concerns that the government might be preparing to declare martial law with the appointment of Yoon's close confidant, as the defense minister holds the authority to recommend such a law to the president.

In his remarks, Kim vowed to take a firm stance against North Korea, saying he is open to considering all military options, including South Korea's nuclear armament, if necessary to address security concerns.

On Friday, Yoon also approved the appointment of Ahn Chang-ho as the head of the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, although opposition lawmakers refused to endorse a confirmation hearing report over his controversial remarks on the anti-discrimination law.

A former Constitutional Court judge and a devout Christian, Ahn came under fire for his opposition to an anti-discrimination bill, saying it could spread diseases like AIDS and could be used as a tool for a move toward "socialism and communism revolutions."

By law, a parliamentary confirmation hearing should be held for a minister-level nominee, but the president can go ahead and appoint the nominee regardless of the results of the hearing. (Yonhap)