Cheong Wa Dae refuted views linking the appointment of new Presidential Chief of Staff Lim Kwang-hyun to his brother-in-law's defense in the "Daejang-dong development case" today (October 15), saying, "While it is a fact that they are family, there is no ground for any causal relationship."

Appearing on CBS Radio's "Park Sung-tae's News Show" that day, Cheong Wa Dae Senior Secretary for Public Communication Seong Ki-hong said, "Both Chief of Staff Lim and Consul General in Houston Lee Kyoung-eun are individuals with exceptionally outstanding personal professional capabilities and careers."

Consul General Lee is Lim's wife, and her younger brother, attorney Lee Seung-yeop, previously defended President Lee Jae-myung in the Daejang-dong case.

The remarks are interpreted as an active pushback against criticisms raised mainly by conservative opposition parties alleging a "reward appointment."

Seong explained, "The appointment of Chief of Staff Lim reflects the president's governing resolve aimed at a working secretariat and a working administration," adding, "It was a choice of someone with a background as an orthodox economic bureaucrat who proved results through competence while serving as head of the National Tax Service, and who also has experience as a lawmaker."

Regarding criticisms of Consul General Lee that "someone with only experience at the Ministry of Health and Welfare was appointed to a key diplomatic post," he also explained, "She was in charge of overseas public relations at Cheong Wa Dae under the Roh Moo-hyun administration and majored in international relations at the Fletcher School at Tufts University in the United States. Even after leaving the health ministry, she was active in the international relations field, including serving as executive director of Amnesty International Korea."

When asked about rumors of an internal power struggle between former Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and Cheong Wa Dae First Attached Office Director Kim Hyun-ji, Seong also replied, "There are so many cases where such rumors differ from the substantive truth."

He added, "Unverified, informal online rumors that lack factual basis are shaking mainstream discourse, creating a situation where the tail wags the dog, and many such rumors are spreading—this is one of them," criticizing it as "a situation where they set up a straw man, attack it, and turn it into political strife."

Regarding the confirmation hearing for Kim Ji-yong, nominee for the head of the Serious Crime Investigation Agency, Seong assessed, "Things were explained well enough that it would be hard to single out flaws or grounds for disqualification as the inaugural agency chief."
 
(Photo: Yonhap News)