Gordon Lubold reports that Ryu, who served as an aide to Chuck Hagel when the defense secretary was a senator, was among two other candidates to the post following Lippert’s nomination as ambassador to South Korea.
“[Ryu] knows the Hill, and most importantly, he understands the way the secretary thinks and meshes well with his leadership style,” John Lettieri, Ryu’s former Senate deputy, told FP.
Ryu has served as Hagel’s senior adviser on foreign policy and deputy chief of staff; Susan Rice‘s confirmation team lead when she was nominated as ambassador to the U.N.; and director of the nonproliferation committee of the National Security Council.