Shin Yong-seok, previously the Chief Privacy Officer at Viva Republica, was appointed as the Secretary to the President for Cybersecurity on February 26. Marking a significant departure from tradition, Shin’s appointment represents the first instance of a private sector professional being selected for this role. Since its establishment in March 2015, the position has been filled predominantly by experts from the military or the National Intelligence Service.
The Presidential Secretary for Cybersecurity is charged with formulating policies and strategies for national security as well as coordinating and managing current cybersecurity issues. Shin will report to the third deputy director of national security, a position recently created to oversee the nation’s economic security, science and technology, and cybersecurity efforts. Prior to the establishment of this role in January of this year, the cybersecurity secretary functioned under the auspices of the second deputy director of the national security office.
Shin, an expert in information security, boasts a diverse professional background that spans both the private and public sectors. In the early 2000s, Shin served as the head of the information security team at the former presidential office. He later transitioned to the private sector, taking on the role of Chief Security Advisor at Microsoft Korea. Shin later moved on to Nexon, one of the country’s leading online game developers, where he served as Chief Information Security Officer. Since 2016, Shin has been a pivotal figure at Viva Republica, the company behind the fintech platform Toss, where he has been instrumental in developing and enforcing internal security protocols.
