[PYH2022113023140050400]??????? ??? ?? Maj. Gen. Kim Gye-hwan / Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense

South Korea on Wednesday named new heads of the Marine Corps and the Army's Special Warfare Command in a regular reshuffle that affected scores of general-grade officers, the defense ministry said.

Maj. Gen. Kim Gye-hwan, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, will be promoted to lieutenant general to lead the armed service. He will replace Lt. Gen. Kim Tae-sung who has served in the post since April last year.

Commissioned as second lieutenant in 1990, Kim has served in key posts like the commander of the 1st Marine Division.

Maj. Gen. Son Sik of the Army Personnel Command will be promoted to three-star rank to head the Special Warfare Command. He is to replace Lt. Gen. So Young-min who has led the command since December 2020.

The ministry also announced Vice Adm. Kang Dong-hun, head of the ROK Fleet Command, as new vice chief of naval operations, and Vice Adm. Kim Myung-soo as the commander of the Fleet Command. ROK stands for South Korea's official name, Republic of Korea. (Yonhap)