[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung has made a surprise appointment, tapping National Tax Service Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun as his new presidential chief of staff. Lim was not among those widely speculated for the post, and this marks the first time an incumbent National Tax Service chief has moved directly into the chief of staff role. Cheong Wa Dae is reported to have judged him as the right person who brings extensive experience across the National Assembly, the government, and the presidential office.

Reporter Park Ye-rin reports.

[Reporter]

Lim Kwang-hyun, the current Commissioner of the National Tax Service, will serve as the second presidential chief of staff in the Lee Jae-myung administration.

This comes 23 days after his predecessor, Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, offered to resign on September 21, taking responsibility for the failed nominations of ministerial candidates 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 also served as a proportional representation lawmaker for the Democratic Party and has been serving as the first head of the National Tax Service under the current administration.

[Kang Hoon-sik / Presidential Chief of Staff: "With extensive experience in both the National Assembly and the government, he is the right person to better reflect the public's voice in state affairs and accelerate governance results through close cooperation among the ruling party, the government, and Cheong Wa Dae."]

Lim shared his thoughts, saying his mission is to make the public tangibly feel positive changes in their lives.

[Lim Kwang-hyun / New Presidential Chief of Staff: "Just as everyday life is desperate for the people, every day at Cheong Wa Dae must also be desperate. I will devote all my energy to transforming the weary daily lives of our citizens."]

President Lee Jae-myung posted on social media, writing, "I welcome Chief of Staff Lim Kwang-hyun," and adding, "I expect you to perform just as well as brother Hoon-sik, or even exceed it. Let us navigate this massive turning point in modern history well together."

During a Cabinet meeting on October 13, President Lee looked for Lim, who was absent due to a parliamentary audit, and publicly praised him for retrieving 400 billion won in delinquent high-value taxes.

[President Lee Jae-myung (Cabinet Meeting, October 13): "Is anyone here from the National Tax Service? Ah, is it the parliamentary audit? I was planning to present a commendation today... In any case, the National Tax Service has been doing very well lately."]

The People Power Party questioned whether someone who spent his entire career in the tax sector possesses the capability to untangle overarching bottlenecks in state affairs. The party also criticized the appointment as "patronage," pointing out that Lim's brother-in-law had served as legal defense in cases involving President Lee.

Earlier in political circles, sitting pro-Lee lawmakers and senior figures outside parliament had been mentioned as potential contenders for the second chief of staff position.

Regarding evaluations in political circles calling Lim's appointment "unexpected," a Cheong Wa Dae official stated that significant weight was placed on administrative experience capable of delivering results in the administration's second year in office.

(Video by Jeong Sang-bo and Ha Ryung | Video Editing by Wi Won-yang | Graphics by Seo Seung-hyun)