Future United Party: "No Young-min and Kim Oe-sook's Reappointment? Frustrating 'Sweet Potato' Personnel Move"

President Moon Rejects Resignations of Noh Young-min and Kim Oe-sook

Chief Presidential Secretary Noh Young-min.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] As President Moon Jae-in rejected the resignations of Chief Presidential Secretary Noh Young-min and Senior Secretary for Personnel Affairs Kim Oe-sook, the United Future Party criticized on the 13th, calling it a "stifling personnel decision as if having eaten a sweet potato."

United Future Party spokesperson Bae Jun-young said in a statement that day, "President Moon has reaffirmed his trust in Chief Secretary Noh and Senior Secretary Kim. He must have thought it too harsh to let go of Chief Secretary Noh, who has now become homeless. Then, does the 'comprehensive responsibility,' which was the reason for the mass resignation of senior secretaries, mean that the president himself will take responsibility?"

He continued, "Senior Secretary Kim, who owns two houses, is reportedly trying to sell one. Let me remind you again, if you put it on the market at a low price for a quick sale, it will sell quickly," he sarcastically remarked.

Spokesperson Bae added, "The public is cynical about the reality where 'houses' and 'positions' seem to be traded," and criticized, "The Blue House seems excited about the OECD's forecast of the highest growth rate this year and shows no intention to correct the failed real estate policy or the income-led growth policy. It seems the Blue House economic team and the cabinet economic team will stubbornly remain in their positions."

Earlier, a senior Blue House official told reporters at the Press Center that day, "You can consider that the senior-level personnel appointments at the Blue House have been concluded for now."

When asked by reporters whether "concluded" meant that the resignations were rejected, the official replied, "They expressed their intention to resign and the personnel announcement was made. Since it has been concluded, you can interpret it that way."