Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik Offers to Resign, Citing "Taking Responsibility"

[Anchor]

Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik offered to resign today (September 21). The presidential office explained that the move is aimed at taking comprehensive responsibility as the chief of staff supporting the president. The decision appears to stem from growing criticism over "failed personnel appointments" following the consecutive withdrawals of ministerial nominees.

Reporter Park Ye-rin has our top story.

[Reporter]

This afternoon, the presidential office announced Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik's offer to resign during an unscheduled briefing.

[Seong Gi-hong / Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Communication: "Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik offered his resignation to President Lee Jae-myung this morning."]

This comes three days after President Lee Jae-myung's press conference, which began with an apology to the public, and two days after Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won voluntarily withdrew his nomination.

An official from the presidential office explained, "This is to take comprehensive responsibility as the chief of staff who assists the president."

Although President Lee Jae-myung carried out a cabinet reshuffle on August 30, ministerial nominees—Yong Hye-in for the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and Kim Seung-won for the Ministry of Justice—successively stepped down amid controversy. As criticism mounted over "failed personnel appointments," Kang, who also heads the presidential personnel committee, is seen as stepping down to take responsibility.

An hour after the announcement of the resignation offer, President Lee presided over a meeting of senior secretaries and aides, thanking Kang for his dedication and saying:

[President Lee Jae-myung: "I suppose you are saying you would finally like to 'graduate' today? I haven't decided what I will do yet, though..."]

President Lee departed today on an overseas trip to the United States and Mexico to attend the UN General Assembly and other engagements. Kang's resignation is expected to be officially accepted immediately after the president returns.

Chief of Staff Kang reportedly posted a message in a group chat for presidential aides this afternoon, urging that "the ranks must not falter regardless of my own course of action."

With two of the three chief director positions in the presidential office—often referred to as President Lee's "triangular formation"—now vacant, a sweeping reorganization of the presidential staff may follow.

Names being mentioned as potential successors for chief of staff include Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung-kwan, as well as Democratic Party lawmakers Cheon Jun-ho and Han Jun-ho.

Video by Jeong Sang-bo, Yoon Hyeong | Video Editing by Wi Won-yang | Graphics by Cho Soo-in

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