Hong Recommends 'Kim Han-gil as Prime Minister, Jang Je-won as Chief of Staff' to the President

Meeting for Over 4 Hours at Hannam-dong Residence the Day Before Yesterday
Hong Suggests "Prompt Reshuffle of Presidential Office and Cabinet"

President Yoon Suk-yeol is conversing with Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, at the 2023 National Members' Convention of the Barun Living Movement held at Daegu EXCO on the 7th. (Photo by the Presidential Office Press Photographers Group)

It was recently revealed that President Yoon Suk-yeol had a long dinner with Hong Joon-pyo, Mayor of Daegu, who previously served as party leader and presidential candidate in the ruling party, after the April 10 general election. At this meeting, Mayor Hong reportedly recommended Kim Han-gil, Chairman of the Grand Unity Committee, as a candidate for Prime Minister, and Jang Je-won, a member of the People Power Party, as Chief of Staff.

On the 16th, President Yoon dined with Mayor Hong at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Seoul, where they discussed future government policies and personnel directions, according to ruling party officials on the 18th. The dinner between President Yoon and Mayor Hong lasted for four hours, during which they candidly discussed the political situation following the election defeat and possible solutions moving forward.

At the meeting, Mayor Hong reportedly suggested, "Since these are difficult times, we must unite and work well together. The Chief of Staff and the Cabinet should be promptly reorganized."

Mayor Hong also emphasized that "the President’s Chief of Staff should be a politically savvy and loyal figure, and the Prime Minister should be someone without personal ambition who can communicate with the opposition."

Meanwhile, following the April 10 general election defeat, President Yoon has signaled changes in the way the government is run and is considering personnel reshuffles among his aides and the Cabinet, as well as organizational reforms within the presidential office.