NTS Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun Named New Chief of Staff: What Is Behind the Pick?

[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung's choice for Presidential Chief of Staff is National Tax Service Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun. It is a surprise appointment that was not previously mentioned in political speculation. It is reported that his diverse experience across the ruling party, the government, and the presidential office was the background behind the appointment.

Reporter Park Ye-rin reports.

[Reporter]

Current National Tax Service Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun has been appointed as the second presidential chief of staff of the Lee Jae-myung administration.

This comes 23 days after his predecessor, Kang Hoon-sik, offered to resign on September 21 to take responsibility for the withdrawal of ministerial nominees Yong Hye-in and Kim Seung-won, as well as declining approval ratings for President Lee Jae-myung.

A career bureaucrat who previously served as deputy commissioner of the National Tax Service, the new chief of staff Lim Kwang-hyun served as a proportional representation lawmaker for the Democratic Party and has been working as the current administration's first commissioner of the National Tax Service.

[Kang Hoon-sik / Presidential Chief of Staff: Having experienced both the National Assembly and the government, he is the right person to reflect the voices of the public more prominently in state affairs and to accelerate national administrative achievements through cooperation between the ruling party, the government, and the presidential office.]

Chief of Staff Lim expressed his thoughts, stating that his calling is to ensure that citizens tangibly feel changes in their lives.

[Lim Kwang-hyun / New Presidential Chief of Staff: Just as each day is urgent for the people, every day at the presidential office must also be urgent. I will dedicate all my efforts to transforming the exhausting daily lives of the public.]

President Lee Jae-myung posted on social media, writing, "Welcome, Chief of Staff Lim Kwang-hyun," and added, "I expect you to achieve as much as, or even more than, brother Hoon-sik. Let us successfully navigate this tremendous watershed in modern history together."

At yesterday's Cabinet meeting, President Lee also looked for Lim, who was absent due to the parliamentary audit, and publicly praised his performance in recovering 400 billion won in delinquent high-value taxes.

[President Lee Jae-myung / Cabinet Meeting (Yesterday): Is the National Tax Service here? Ah, parliamentary audit? I was going to present a commendation today... Regardless, the National Tax Service has been doing very well lately.]

The People Power Party questioned whether someone who spent his entire career in tax administration has the competence to resolve overall state administrative turmoil, and criticized the appointment as political patronage given that Lim's brother-in-law had defended President Lee in a legal case.

Previously, political circles had speculated that sitting lawmakers close to President Lee or senior politicians outside the National Assembly were contenders for the second chief of staff position.

Regarding political assessments that Lim's appointment was "unexpected," a presidential office official stated that administrative experience capable of producing results in the administration's second year was prioritized.

(Video by Jeong Sang-bo, Ha Ryung | Video Editing by Wi Won-yang | Graphics by Seo Seung-hyun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.