[Anchor]

Kim Yong-beom, the Cheong Wa Dae chief of policy who oversaw the current administration's real estate and economic policies, has suddenly stepped down. He offered his resignation just a day after a cabinet reshuffle was announced, and it was accepted within a day, drawing intense interest over the background of his departure.

Reporter Kang Min-u has the details.

[Reporter]

Cheong Wa Dae announced the resignation of Chief of Policy Kim Yong-beom through an unscheduled press briefing.

[Kang Yu-jung / Senior Spokesperson for Cheong Wa Dae: Cheong Wa Dae Chief of Policy Kim Yong-beom expressed his intention to resign on the 31st. In response, President Lee Jae-myung accepted his resignation on September 1.]

His abrupt departure comes 15 months after he took office as the Lee Jae-myung administration's first chief of policy in June of last year, leading to a flurry of interpretations regarding the timing of his resignation.

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

Media outlets poured out analyses 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, on the morning of the day before yesterday (the 31st), a Realmeter public opinion poll showed President Lee Jae-myung's approval rating falling into the 30% range for the first time. That same afternoon, Chief Kim abruptly notified the National Assembly's Special Committee on Budget and Accounts that he would not attend, despite having previously announced his attendance.

When his resignation was suddenly announced yesterday without even naming a successor, some analyses suggested it was a punitive dismissal. However, Cheong Wa Dae drew a line, stating that it was "an appointment to find vitality in policy execution and generate new momentum."

A senior Cheong Wa Dae official explained to SBS that Chief Kim told the president, "Now that the government renewal atmosphere has been established through the cabinet reshuffle, I, who am seen by the market as the policy control tower, also need to be replaced to bring new vitality to Cheong Wa Dae," expressing his intention to resign, which President Lee accepted.

(Video by: Jeong Sang-bo, Ha Ryung | Video Editing by: Won Hyeong-hee | Design by: Hwang Se-yeon)