Presidential office announces personnel reshuffle

Aug 22, 2022, 08:44 am

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Kim Eun-hye, senior secretary for press affairs, Lee Kwan-sup, senior secretary for policy and planning, and Lim Jong-deuk, second deputy national security adviser, attend a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul after their appointments on Aug. 21, 2022./ Source: Yonhap

AsiaToday reporter Lee Wook-jae

President Yoon Suk-yeol on Sunday appointed Lee Kwan-sup, vice chairman of the Korea International Trade Association, as senior presidential secretary for policy and planning, former lawmaker Kim Eun-hye as senior secretary for press affairs, and former presidential defense secretary Lim Jong-deuk as second deputy national security adviser.

Presidential chief of staff Kim Dae-ki announced the appointments at a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul.

“The national affairs reform, especially reshuffle of the top office team, will continue for the next five years,” Kim said. “This personnel reshuffle is not a result of misconduct. It is a process to change the Secretariat to raise productivity so it can be operated more efficiently.”

However, political observers say the reshuffle, which was carried out for the first time in 104 days after Yoon taking office, is aimed at preventing approval ratings from falling further.

In this appointment, Yoon reorganized his senior team by installing a new chief for the top office press shop and adding a sixth senior secretary in charge of policy planning. That reorganizes the presidential office from the current “two offices, five senior secretaries” to “two offices and six senior secretaries.”

“There seems to be a lot of people who feel disappointed at the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, which was launched with expectations and hopes of the people,” Lee said. “I will do my best to make a government that people can feel fairness and common sense about and that can unite people together. I think I should look at policy with a prudent attitude as if I were roasting a small fish,” he said.

Yoon changed the public relations posts for the presidential office. Kim Eun-hye, who once served as a spokesperson when Yoon was president-elect, will replace Choi Young-bum as the senior public relations secretary. Choi will take on the role of special adviser.

“With a humbler attitude, I will faithfully take on the role of a bridge to convey the people’s expectations and wishes while properly conveying the president’s state affairs philosophy,” Kim said.

Lim Jong-deuk, a former presidential defense secretary, was named to fill the post of second deputy chief of the National Security Office after Shin In-ho stepped down over health issues. Kim described Lim as “a well-known expert in the field of defense policy and military strategy.”

“I feel a great sense of responsibility to take the role at a time when the security environment is in a critical situation at home and abroad,” Lim said.

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