SEOUL, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in nominated Army Chief of Staff Suh Wook as the new defense minister, the presidential Blue House said on Friday.

Photo: YONHAP

Blue House spokesman Kang Min-seok told a press briefing that the 57-year-old general had ample experience in field maneuvers and military operations while understanding the security philosophy of the current government.

After a parliamentary confirmation hearing, Suh would replace the current Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo.

If appointed, Suh would become the first defense chief with an Army background under the Moon administration.

The Moon government's first defense minister was Song Young-moo, a retired Navy admiral, while Jeong was former Air Force head.

Suh was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1985 after graduating from the Korea Military Academy.

He served at the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) between 2011 and 2014, before commanding the 25th Infantry Division and the 1st Corps.

Then, he became the chief director of operations at the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) and began in April 2019 to lead the Army.