By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-09-21 08:06:43 | Updated at 2026-09-21 08:41:53
51 minutes ago
SEOUL – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, offered to resign on Sept 21, the presidential office said, following weeks of declines in the leader’s approval ratings that have been partly blamed on failed ministerial nominations.
Lee said later in the day that he had not decided whether to accept the resignation.
Kang offered to resign in order to take “overall responsibility” as the president’s top aide, after Lee acknowledged at a press conference last week that public concern over his administration reflected his own shortcomings, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing a presidential official.
The resignation follows criticism over recent government appointments, including the withdrawal of the nominations of former gender equality and family minister nominee Yong Hye-in and former justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won.
Lee’s approval rating rose 1 percentage point to 34.8 per cent in a survey released on Sept 21 by pollster Realmeter, marking its first increase in 10 weeks.
Kim withdrew from consideration as justice minister on Sept 19, the second of Lee’s Cabinet picks to step aside this month as his approval ratings slump.
His exit followed the withdrawal of Yong as nominee for gender-equality minister on Sept 13, in the latest fallout from Lee’s Cabinet reshuffle in late August.
Kim, who said he did not want to add any burden to Lee’s administration, criticised a conservative lawmaker who had accused him of lobbying regulators over a drug trial and of financial irregularities. He has denied the allegations.
“I gravely accept that I did not meet the public’s expectations, and I will deeply reflect on my shortcomings,” Kim told a press conference.
At a press conference on Sept 18, Lee acknowledged shortcomings in his administration’s screening of nominees. “We are currently working to re-examine our personnel system,” the President said. REUTERS
