Kim Namkook Resigns Amid Personnel Solicitation Controversy; Presidential Office Accepts Resignation

Text Messages with Moon Jinseok Spark Controversy
Absence from Senior Aides' Meeting

Kim Namkook, Secretary for Digital Communication at the Presidential Office, who became embroiled in a personnel solicitation controversy after it was revealed that he exchanged text messages with Moon Jinseok, Senior Deputy Floor Leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, submitted his resignation on December 4.

On the same day, the Presidential Office announced, "Secretary Kim submitted his resignation to the Presidential Secretariat today, and it has been accepted." Secretary Kim did not appear at the senior aides' meeting presided over by the President at the Yongsan Presidential Office that afternoon.

Previously, on December 2 during a plenary session of the National Assembly, Senior Deputy Floor Leader Moon sent a mobile text message to Secretary Kim, asking him to recommend an alumnus for the position of President of the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association. In response, Secretary Kim replied by text, "I will recommend him to Hoonsik (Chief of Staff Kang Hoonsik) and Hyunji (Kim Hyunji, First Secretary to the President)."

This exchange was exposed when the screen of Moon's mobile phone was captured by media cameras. As the personnel solicitation controversy grew, the Presidential Office announced the previous morning, "We have issued a stern warning to the internal staff member who inappropriately conveyed inaccurate information, as part of efforts to maintain discipline among public officials."