President Yoon to Replace Chief of Staff Possibly as Early as Tomorrow... Kim Han-gil and Won Hee-ryong Mentioned

Joo Ho-young and Kwon Young-se Considered as Successors to the Prime Minister

Lee Gwan-seop, Chief of Staff to the President, is heading to the microphone on the morning of the 11th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul to give a briefing related to the 22nd general election.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to replace the Chief of Staff as early as the 14th. In response to the 'general election defeat,' the plan to prioritize replacing the Chief of Staff of the Presidential Office as part of personnel reform and to additionally replace other aides is gaining traction.

According to the Presidential Office and the National Assembly on the 13th, President Yoon has accepted the resignation of Chief of Staff Lee Kwan-seop and is preparing to appoint a successor. This comes about four months after the launch of the second-term Presidential Office aides.

Earlier, on the morning of the 11th, President Yoon conveyed through Chief of Staff Lee Kwan-seop, "I will humbly accept the will of the people expressed in the general election and do my best to reform state affairs and stabilize the economy and people's livelihoods."

On the same day, all senior aides, including the Chief of Staff and senior secretaries of the Presidential Office, tendered their resignations, and it is reported that final adjustments are underway regarding accepting some of these resignations.

Among the likely candidates for the next Chief of Staff are politicians such as Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the National Unity Committee, and former Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Won Hee-ryong. Given criticisms of the Presidential Office's inadequate response to controversies such as the appointment of former Ambassador to Australia Lee Jong-seop and former Senior Secretary for Civil Society Hwang Sang-moo's offensive remarks likened to a 'journalist knife attack,' it is widely expected that the new appointee will be someone who can compensate for political weaknesses.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who also tendered his resignation to President Yoon, is likely to be replaced, and potential successors include lawmakers Joo Ho-young and Kwon Young-se, as well as Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the National Unity Committee.