Woo Sangho and Kim Byungwook Likely to Signal a Wave of Resignations
Final Personnel Vetting Underway for Successors Hong Ikpyo and Ko Yongjin
Presidential Office Faces Imminent Reshuffle Amid Speculation of Over Ten Aides Running
Core Aide
With about five months remaining until the 9th nationwide local elections on June 3, the atmosphere at the presidential office has become unsettled amid rumors of aides preparing to run for office. As speculation grows that Woo Sangho, Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, and Kim Byungwook, Secretary for Political Affairs, are about to resign, many believe that a reshuffle of the "first-term aides" is now effectively on a countdown.
Hong Ikpyo, former floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is being mentioned as a possible successor to the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, while Ko Yongjin, former Democratic Party lawmaker, is being considered for the Secretary for Political Affairs position. It is reported that the presidential office is in the final stages of vetting, based on documents submitted by the two candidates.
According to the presidential office and the ruling party on January 16, as many as ten officials-from chiefs and senior secretaries to secretaries and administrative officers-are being discussed as potential candidates for the parliamentary by-elections, which will be held on the same day as the local elections. In some departments, there is talk of confusion over "who will leave and who will join." An official from the presidential office said, "Ahead of the local elections and the by-elections, some aides are coordinating the timing of their resignations," adding, "It appears that most will submit their resignations before the Lunar New Year holiday." Public officials and others subject to candidacy restrictions must resign by March 5, which is 90 days before the June 3 elections, in order to run.
The political affairs team at the presidential office is expected to be the first to decide on their future. Senior Secretary Woo is expected to resign soon to prepare for a run for governor of Gangwon Province, and Secretary Kim is also reportedly set to resign soon to run for mayor of Seongnam. In addition, Kim Namjun, spokesperson and the "voice" of President Lee Jaemyung, is said to be weighing the timing of his resignation as he prepares to run in the Incheon Gyeyang-eul parliamentary by-election.
Hong Ikpyo, who is being considered as Woo's successor, is a three-term lawmaker who served in the 19th, 20th, and 21st National Assembly. In September 2023, when Park Kwangon resigned as Democratic Party floor leader after a vote on President Lee's arrest motion revealed internal dissent, Hong ran for and was elected as the new floor leader. Within the party, he is recognized for his extensive experience in policy and as a spokesperson. Last December, there were also rumors of him running for mayor of Seoul. Ko Yongjin, who is being considered as Kim's successor, is a two-term lawmaker from Nowon-gap, Seoul, who served as chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party’s 2022 presidential campaign. He is noted for his "political acumen" and strength in "media messaging."
Hong Ikpyo, former floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is appearing on AK Radio at The Asia Business Daily headquarters, being interviewed by specialist So Jungsup. Photo by Huh Younghan
Other names being discussed within the ruling party include Lee Sunho, Secretary for Local Autonomy Development (Ulsan mayoral race), and Jeon Sunghwan, Senior Secretary for Communication and Integration (Chungnam/Asan by-election). Among administrative-level aides, Jin Seokbeom, Senior Administrative Officer in the Office of the Secretary for Health and Welfare (Hwaseong mayoral race, Gyeonggi Province), Kim Gwang, Administrative Officer in the Office of the Secretary for Local Autonomy Development (Gyeyang District Chief, Incheon), Seo Jeongwan, Administrative Officer in the Office of the Secretary for Local Autonomy Development (Hanam mayoral race, Gyeonggi Province), and Seong Junhu, Administrative Officer in the Office of the Secretary for National Unity (Imsil County Governor, North Jeolla Province) are also being mentioned.
What about Kang Hoonshik, Kim Yongbeom, and Ha Jeongwoo?... 'Draft Theory' vs. 'Staying Theory'
Attention is now shifting beyond the political affairs team to the "key chiefs and senior secretaries." Kang Hoonshik, Chief Presidential Secretary, has long been the subject of speculation about being drafted as the head of a merged Daejeon-Chungnam region, but within the presidential office, the prevailing view is that "this time, he is likely to stay." Kim Yongbeom, Chief Policy Secretary, was rumored to be running in the Gwangju-Jeonnam area, but a senior official from the presidential office stated, "He never intended to run in the election." Ha Jeongwoo, Senior Secretary for AI Future Planning, is being mentioned as a potential candidate for mayor of Busan, but those around him say there is no confirmation of his intentions.
Some within the ruling party say that President Lee has implicitly or explicitly expressed his desire for the key chiefs to remain in office a bit longer. While it is unclear whether President Lee has publicly stated this, the internal sentiment is that "it would be burdensome to replace the key team less than a year after the administration took office" and "it will not be easy to find suitable replacements immediately," which is leading to a stronger "staying theory" over the "draft theory." Meanwhile, both inside and outside the presidential office, while successors for the political affairs team are being vetted to fill any immediate vacancies, there are mixed expectations regarding the scale of the personnel reshuffle, with some anticipating a "minimal adjustment" and others predicting a "major overhaul."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
