Presidential chief of staff offers to resign over bungled Cabinet nominations

Published Sep 21, 2026 1:28 pm KST

President Lee Jae Myung is accompanied by his chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, for a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Sept. 3. Yonhap.

Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik offered to resign, Monday, taking responsibility for a string of bungled Cabinet nominations that has fueled criticism of President Lee Jae Myung’s personnel vetting system.

Kang conveyed his intention to step down to Lee earlier in the day, senior presidential secretary for public relations Sung Ki-hong said during a briefing.

The presidential office did not immediately say whether Lee had accepted the resignation.

Kang chairs Cheong Wa Dae’s personnel committee and oversees the selection and screening of minister-level officials.

His offer to step down is widely seen as a response to the successive withdrawals of gender equality minister nominee Yong Hye-in and justice minister nominee Kim Seung-won.

发布于2026年9月21日下午1:28（韩国标准时间）

9月3日，韩国总统李在明在幕僚长姜勋植的陪同下，在首尔青瓦台与高级助手举行会议。（韩联社）

周一，总统幕僚长姜勋植提出辞职，承认一系列内阁提名失误导致外界对李在明总统的人事审查制度提出批评。

总统府公共关系高级秘书成基洪在新闻发布会上表示，康京和当天早些时候已向李明博表达了辞职意愿。

总统府尚未立即说明李显龙是否接受了辞呈。

康担任青瓦台人事委员会主席，负责部长级官员的选拔和审查。

人们普遍认为，他提出辞职是对性别平等部长提名人杨惠仁和司法部长提名人金承元相继退出的回应。