Resignation Offered the Day After Cabinet Reshuffle… What's Behind the 'Abrupt Resignation'?

[Anchor]

Kim Yong-beom, the Cheong Wa Dae Chief of Staff for Policy who has led economic and social policy since the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung administration, has abruptly stepped down. He tendered his resignation just a day after Sunday's cabinet reshuffle affecting economic ministries, and it was accepted today (September 1). Interest is mounting over the background of his sudden departure.

Reporter Kang Min-u has the details.

[Reporter]

This morning, Cheong Wa Dae announced through an unscheduled press briefing that Chief of Staff Kim Yong-beom had offered to resign and that President Lee Jae-myung had accepted it.

[Kang Yu-jung / Senior Spokesperson for Cheong Wa Dae: Cheong Wa Dae Chief of Staff for Policy Kim Yong-beom tendered his resignation yesterday, August 31. In response, President Lee Jae-myung accepted his resignation today, September 1.]

He is stepping down abruptly 15 months after taking office as the Lee Jae-myung administration's first Cheong Wa Dae Chief of Staff for Policy last June, drawing varied interpretations regarding the timing of his resignation.

Just two days ago when a medium-scale cabinet reshuffle was announced, ministers of economic ministries such as the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport were replaced. However, because there was no announcement regarding Chief of Staff Kim, it was perceived that he would remain in his post.

That day, media outlets poured out interpretations that the "Kim Yong-beom policy command system" had been solidified, while the opposition party flooded him with demands to step down, holding him responsible for the introduction of single-stock leverage ETFs and failures in real estate policy.

Then, yesterday morning, a poll by public opinion research firm Realmeter showed that President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating dropped to the 30 percent range for the first time. Yesterday afternoon, Chief of Staff Kim abruptly notified the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts of his absence, despite having previously announced he would attend.

When his sudden resignation was announced today without the selection of a successor, analyses emerged questioning whether it was a punitive dismissal. However, Cheong Wa Dae drew a line, stating that it was "a personnel appointment to find vitality and drive in policy implementation."

A high-ranking Cheong Wa Dae official explained to SBS that Chief of Staff Kim told the President yesterday, "Now that the cabinet reshuffle has set a mood for government reform, I, who am viewed by the market as the policy control tower, also need to be replaced to bring new vitality to Cheong Wa Dae," offering to resign, and President Lee accepted.

With the Lee Jae-myung administration entering its second year, the explanation is that this is personnel reform through voluntary resignation. However, some analyses suggest that whether this is "prepared personnel management in accordance with the President's vision" remains to be seen by watching the appointment of a successor.

(Photo: Yonhap News) (Reported by Jung Sang-bo and Ha Ryung | Video by Won Hyung-hee | Graphics by Hwang Se-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.