'Yoo Jae-su Alleged Inspection Cover-up' Cheon Kyung-deuk, Blue House Administrative Officer, Resigns... Successor is Party-affiliated Financial Expert

Cheong Wa Dae Panorama / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Son Seon-hee] It has been confirmed that Cheon Kyung-deuk, Senior Administrative Officer of the Blue House General Affairs Secretariat, who was suspected of covering up the inspection of former Busan Deputy Mayor Yoo Jae-soo, recently abruptly submitted his resignation and left the Blue House.

According to multiple Blue House officials on the 13th, former Administrative Officer Cheon finished his duties as of the 11th and is undergoing retirement procedures. Blue House employees must undergo a separate verification process even upon retirement. While the Blue House confirmed Cheon’s resignation, they remained silent on the specific reasons.

Cheon himself reportedly told those around him that he would return to his original profession as a lawyer. Since the resignation was suddenly announced, some interpret this decision as an effort not to burden the Blue House as the trial of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, who is accused of covering up the inspection related to former Deputy Mayor Yoo, has begun in earnest.

Cheon joined the Blue House with the launch of the Moon Jae-in administration and served as the 'General Affairs Personnel Team Leader.' He was considered one of the key influential figures managing internal personnel affairs at the Blue House. At the end of last year, when allegations of covering up the Blue House inspection of former Deputy Mayor Yoo surfaced, he was also investigated by prosecutors as a witness. He is suspected of attempting to cover up the inspection because Yoo, despite committing various misconducts, was a pro-government figure. There are even rumors that Cheon may soon be reclassified as a suspect and face investigation.

At the first trial held on the 8th, Lee In-geol, former head of the Special Inspection Team of the Blue House Civil Affairs Office who was in charge of the inspection at the time, was asked by the prosecutor, "Is it true that Administrative Officer Cheon aggressively and reproachfully said, 'We must save Yoo Jae-soo. Our administration survives only if Yoo survives'?" Lee replied, "I don’t remember the exact wording, but it was along those lines, and rather than aggressive, I remember feeling unpleasant. It is true that he spoke in a reproachful manner."

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Kim Young-moon, a former Democratic Party official, has been appointed as Cheon’s successor. Kim is known as a financial expert, having served as the head of the Finance Bureau at the Democratic Party Central Committee. He joined the Blue House in the first year of the government and worked in the Finance Team of the General Affairs Secretariat.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.