(LEAD) Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik offers to resign

SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik has offere...

Yonhap NewsPark Boram2026-09-21 13:44查看原文 ↗

This file photo, taken Sept. 13, 2026, shows presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik (L) speaking in a meeting also attended by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook (R). (Yonhap)

This will let Google show Yonhap news articles that match or are related to your search

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; UPDATES throughout with more details)

SEOUL, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik has offered to resign, Cheong Wa Dae press secretary said Monday, following the back-to-back withdrawals of two minister nominees over controversies surrounding their qualifications.

"Chief of staff Kang tendered his resignation to President Lee Jae Myung this morning," presidential secretary for public relations Seong Ghi-hong told a press briefing, without providing a reason for Kang's resignation offer.

Kang's move came as President Lee's approval ratings fell to their lowest points in recent weeks and after Cheong Wa Dae came under fire for the withdrawals of nominees for justice and gender equality ministers amid allegations of irregularities.

A presidential official said on condition of anonymity that Kang took the action to hold himself accountable as Lee's chief of staff after the president repeatedly acknowledged his own "shortcomings" regarding public sentiment during last week's press conference.

Addressing his declining approval ratings, Lee said during Friday's press conference that he had come to realize "the public is always right" and that all problems were due to his "own shortcomings."

This file photo, taken Sept. 13, 2026, shows presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik (L) speaking in a meeting also attended by Prime Minister Han Seong-sook (R). (Yonhap)

BTS performs at iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas

Singer-actor IU donates 200 mln won on debut anniversary

(URGENT) Pentathlete Seong Seung-min wins S. Korea's 1st gold at Asian Games

Girl group Illit to return with new EP next month

Seoul stocks dip over 3 pct on Mideast uncertainties, AI warnings

Over 300 S. Korean workers challenging Trump gov't over last year's immigration raid in Georgia: CNN

S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold consultations over N. Korea's latest missile launches

N. Korean auxiliary boat sinks off S. Korea's east coast

Hyundai to launch all-new Tucson SUV next month

N. Korea fires unidentified projectile toward East Sea: S. Korean military

(Yonhap Feature) Inside S. Korea's new submarine: a rare look into naval power, global push

(2nd LD) N. Korea fires 1 short-range ballistic missile toward East Sea: S. Korean military