"Kim Hyunji, the 'Herbicide' Who Handles Favors Cleanly... Is That Why She's Disliked?" Says Ruling Party Spokesperson

Kim Jiho, Democratic Party Spokesperson, Speaks About Chief Secretary Kim Hyunji
"Handles Sexual Misconduct, Abuse of Power, and Requests Strictly by Law and Principle"
"Kim Hyekyung, the First Lady, Is the Only One Truly at Ease with Her"

There has been mention of the nickname "herbicide" for Kim Hyunji, Chief Presidential Secretary for the First Aide Office, who is known as a close aide to President Lee Jaemyung and has come under attack from the opposition. Kim Jiho, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, who has known Chief Secretary Kim since their time working together at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office in 2018, said in an interview on CBS Radio's "Park Jaehong's One-on-One Show" on September 29, "Among ourselves, we used to tease Chief Secretary Kim by calling her 'herbicide,'" adding, "It's because she handles matters such as sexual misconduct, abuse of power, and various requests for favors very cleanly, strictly according to principles and the law."

In August, Kim Hyunji, Secretary General of the Presidential Office (left), and Lim Woongsun, Deputy Director of National Security Office for Security Affairs 2, attended the senior secretaries and aides meeting to discuss matters. Photo by Yonhap News

Spokesperson Kim explained, "Chief Secretary Kim is very kind and friendly, and gets along well with others," but also added, "What made working with her most comfortable was that she played the role of a red team within the organization very thoroughly." He continued, "Chief Secretary Kim would probably feel very frustrated, thinking, 'I haven't done anything wrong, so why?' and might also wonder, 'Am I being disliked because I rise above so many requests for favors?'"

He said, "President Lee also feels very comfortable with her, but Kim Hye-kyung, the First Lady, is the only one who feels truly at ease with Chief Secretary Kim," adding, "I always wondered why she wasn't appointed as Chief Secretary from the beginning." He went on to say, "Since President Lee took office without a transition committee, she took on different roles before returning to her position. If Chief Secretary Kim attends the National Assembly audit, such misunderstandings will be completely dispelled."

Chief Secretary Kim has recently come under heavy fire from the opposition, being labeled as a "power broker," "rank 1.5," and "V0." In particular, on September 29, as the ruling and opposition parties clashed over whether to call Kim as a witness for the National Assembly audit, the Presidential Office announced a reshuffle: Kim Namjoon would become Chief Secretary for the First Aide Office and spokesperson, while Kim Hyunji would move to Secretary General, which led to strong protests from the opposition.

Jang Donghyuk, Leader of the People Power Party. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party, said on September 29, "Some claim that the real power in Yongsan is not President Lee, but Secretary Kim, who makes all the important decisions. It is only natural for the Secretary General to attend the National Assembly audit, but suddenly, when it was announced that she would appear, her position was changed."

Leader Jang pointed out, "The Secretary General, who is responsible for the administration of the Presidential Office, is obligated to attend budget reviews and the National Assembly audit to provide explanations. What reason could there be for not attending? There is no problem with having someone else serve as Secretary General and provide explanations, so why is Kim Hyunji the only one who must not appear before the National Assembly? Are you afraid that the 'shadow president' will be revealed to the entire nation?" However, the Presidential Office reportedly stated that Chief Secretary Kim would attend the National Assembly audit if the National Assembly decides so.

Chief Secretary Kim is known to have a long-standing relationship with President Lee, having served as Secretary General at the Seongnam Citizen Participation Solidarity, where President Lee was the executive chair, and participated in civic movements to establish Seongnam Medical Center. She also worked in the secretary's office at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office when President Lee was governor, and later entered the National Assembly as an aide to a lawmaker.