Kim Sang-jo's 'Sudden Replacement'... Ruling Party: "A Natural Measure" Opposition: "Election-Driven Scapegoating"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] The opposition party fiercely criticized the replacement of Kim Sang-jo, the Blue House Policy Chief, on the 29th, who raised the jeonse price by 14% just before the implementation of the Lease 3 Act that limits rent increases to 5%, calling it a "scapegoating for election purposes." The ruling party commented, "It is a natural measure to avoid burdening President Moon's strong will."

Choi In-ho, the chief spokesperson of the Democratic Party of Korea, said in a statement on the same day regarding the replacement of the Policy Chief, "Regardless of rank or status, there should be no disappointment caused to the public due to real estate issues," and evaluated it as "a natural measure to avoid burdening the President's strong will to eradicate real estate corruption."

He added, "I hope that the new Policy Chief, Lee Ho-seung, will assist the President well so that fundamental reform directions and real estate supply measures related to future real estate policies are smoothly implemented."

On the other hand, the People Power Party criticized it as scapegoating for election purposes. Kim Eun-hye, spokesperson for the People Power Party, said in a verbal statement on the same day, "Would he have been dismissed so quickly if it were not for the election?" and pointed out, "If they thought they could avoid the storm by hastily dismissing him and adding the obvious story that 'the President was furious,' they are mistaken."

Spokesperson Kim said, "(Former Chief Kim) was called a chaebol hunter but turned out to be a tenant hunter," and asked, "What is the difference between the Blue House Policy Chief who cleverly used the law to make money knowing the law's passage, the LH employee who privately used public information obtained secretly, and the 'speculator' whom the Blue House proclaimed as the first target of corruption eradication?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, President Moon accepted former Chief Kim's resignation and appointed a successor Policy Chief. Yoo Young-min, Chief Secretary of the Blue House, explained, "The new Policy Chief Lee has a deep understanding of overall economic policies such as disaster relief funds and the Korean New Deal," and added, "He is highly trusted for his meticulous planning and thorough work, and possesses a balanced sense of overall policy, making him the right person to successfully accomplish national tasks such as economic recovery in the second half of the administration."

According to a key Blue House official, former Chief Kim directly expressed his resignation to President Moon on the morning of the same day. According to media reports citing the official gazette the previous day, former Chief Kim raised the jeonse price by 14% two days before the implementation of the Lease 3 Act. Although legally there was no problem, it was pointed out as an inappropriate act for the Blue House Policy Chief, who is in charge of the real estate control tower.

Former Chief Kim apologized, saying, "At this critical time when we must make every effort to eradicate real estate speculation, I have caused great disappointment to the public," and stated the reason for his resignation, "It is my last role as a secretary serving the President to quickly step down so that the Blue House Policy Office can be reorganized and real estate policies can be smoothly implemented."

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