Justice Minister Jeong Sung-ho submitted his resignation today (the 18th), formalizing the cabinet reshuffle process for the second year of the Lee Jae-myung administration, including the timing of Minister Jeong's replacement.

Some observers speculate that a cabinet reshuffle involving certain ministries, including the Ministry of Justice, will take place soon, given that Cheong Wa Dae appeared to accept Minister Jeong's resignation intention.

During a briefing earlier in the day, Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Relations Kang Yu-jung responded to questions regarding Minister Jeong's resignation letter by stating, "Minister Jeong requested to be relieved of his duties due to health reasons. Minister Jeong has faithfully performed his assigned role in response to public demands."

Compared to last month, when reports surfaced regarding Minister Jeong's intention to resign and Cheong Wa Dae responded that "the expression of resignation is not true," this is interpreted as a sign that his wishes will be respected.

Secretary Kang added, "We have asked him to fulfill his role until follow-up personnel measures and other steps are implemented," thereby formalizing the process of selecting a successor for the Minister of Justice.

In particular, as Minister Jeong expressed his intention to resign just as the Democratic Party of Korea national convention concluded and a new leadership took office, speculation has arisen that the timeline for an overall cabinet reshuffle may be accelerated.

However, counter-reactions suggest that it is difficult to predict the exact timing because there are quite a few variables involved in a cabinet reshuffle.

The view is that unless President Lee replaces only the Minister of Justice through a one-point reshuffle, the personnel selection process for other ministries, including the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, will inevitably be linked.

Aside from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the political circle has also raised the possibility of replacing the ministers of Health and Welfare or Land, Infrastructure and Transport. In such cases, the personnel selection process could be further delayed, which may naturally push back the timing of accepting Minister Jeong's resignation as well.

(Photo: Yonhap News)