President Lee Withdraws Nomination of Lee Hyehoon...Blue House: "Did Not Meet Public Expectations" (Comprehensive)

Hong Ikpyo Holds Briefing on January 25

Hong Ikpyo, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, is briefing at the Blue House on the withdrawal of President Lee Jae-myung's nomination of Lee Hyehoon for Minister of Planning and Budget on the 25th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On January 25, President Lee Jaemyung withdrew his nomination of Lee Hyehoon as Minister of Planning and Budget. This comes about a month after the surprise appointment of Lee, a conservative figure, as the head of the budget authority.

Hong Ikpyo, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs at the Blue House, stated during a briefing at the Chunchugwan press center that afternoon, "President Lee listened to a wide range of opinions from various sectors of society and closely observed the public's evaluation following the confirmation hearing. After careful consideration, President Lee has decided to withdraw the nomination of Lee Hyehoon as Minister of Planning and Budget."

Hong explained the reason for the withdrawal, saying, "Although Lee Hyehoon served three terms as a National Assembly member from a conservative party, unfortunately, she did not meet the expectations of the public as Minister of Planning and Budget in a government that upholds popular sovereignty." When asked why the nomination was withdrawn rather than a voluntary resignation, he added, "Since President Lee brought in someone from the conservative camp, he is fulfilling his responsibility as the appointing authority by going as far as to withdraw the nomination."

Hong further emphasized, "True integration can be achieved as the result of change that transcends factional logic. The President's reflection and efforts to reaffirm the meaning and value of grand integration through inclusive appointments will continue."

In response to a question about whether the withdrawal of the nomination undermined the significance of grand integration, Hong said, "The candidate was unable to take office simply because she did not meet the public's expectations and moral standards. The President's commitment to integration remains unchanged, and he will continue to appoint individuals with expertise from all sectors of society, not just from a particular political camp."

When asked whether a new candidate from the conservative camp would be considered, Hong replied, "We will always take social integration into account in our appointments. The position of Minister of Planning and Budget is meant to serve integration, but this does not mean that it must be filled by someone from the conservative camp."

However, regarding whether a specific allegation was the decisive reason for the withdrawal, Hong said, "The withdrawal was not due to a single particular issue," declining to elaborate further.

Since her nomination, Lee Hyehoon has faced controversies including allegations of abuse and verbal harassment of her aides, as well as suspicions of fraudulent apartment applications in Banpo, Seoul. She apologized for the abuse and verbal harassment, calling her behavior "immature," and explained that the real estate speculation and fraudulent application allegations were not related to tax evasion and were due to issues in her son's marriage at the time, rather than an attempt to secure housing.

On January 21, during a New Year's press conference, President Lee commented on Lee Hyehoon, saying, "There do seem to be some issues. I did not expect such intense resistance. I will need to keep this in mind for future appointments."