Energized Chief of Staff Kim Dae-gi: "Risks Lie Where They Are Unseen... Everyone Must Become the President"

Mentioning the Female Majority National Assembly and Economic Situation, "Please Make Policy Decisions from the President's Perspective"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] Kim Dae-gi, Chief of Staff to the President, who completed the first personnel reshuffle at the Presidential Office, urged all employees gathered in one place to "become the president." While the intention was to emphasize that individual responsibility is paramount for the smooth advancement of national tasks, it is being evaluated that his grip has strengthened to the extent that he confidently demands 'presidential-level responsibility' from the staff.

On the morning of the 13th, during a 'Conversation with the Chief of Staff' held at the Yongsan Presidential Office building with employees, Kim emphasized that responsibility is the most important factor for the rapid promotion of national tasks. The event was organized to reaffirm the Presidential Office’s determination for a fresh start after completing personnel and organizational restructuring. All employees working at the Presidential Office, including senior secretaries, secretaries, administrative officers, and administrative staff, attended, except for President Yoon Seok-yeol and his accompanying personnel, effectively involving nearly everyone.

He was confident enough to take questions from employees on the spot and respond. A Presidential Office official who attended the meeting said, "There must have been considerable anxiety among both those who remained and those who left during the restructuring process," adding, "It was evident that the Presidential Office intended to stabilize the internal atmosphere to focus on national tasks."

In particular, Kim urged the staff to have a 'sense of mission,' mentioning the situation of the opposition-majority National Assembly and the economic conditions. Kim said, "Each of you should set appropriate judgments and standards from the president’s perspective," emphasizing, "The real risks come from unseen places. Please make policy decisions from the president’s standpoint."

Kim’s presence began to stand out after it was decided he would remain in office following President Yoon’s return from vacation last month. This was a complete turnaround from when he cautiously visited the Presidential Office press room saying, "Do you know who I am?" as the president’s approval rating was heading toward its lowest point in July. Especially, the personnel reshuffle immediately after President Yoon’s vacation played a decisive role in blocking Yeouido’s influence. Subsequently, enduring issues such as the ruling party’s internal text message scandal and controversies over the response to heavy rain in the metropolitan area also helped strengthen his control.

It has been reported that Kim recently urged employees in internal meetings to "focus only on national tasks." There is an assessment that he is no longer a ‘quiet aide’ but is raising his voice by emphasizing control. The momentum from President Yoon, who supports Kim, is expected to continue. Since President Yoon has consistently expressed his intention to separate party affairs from state administration since his inauguration, entrusting Kim, who led the Presidential Office reshuffle, with the goal of ‘focused promotion of national tasks’ for the second half of the year is efficient. A Presidential Office official said, "As the links with the National Assembly (including Yoon’s close aides) have significantly decreased through personnel and organizational restructuring, the Chief of Staff’s message to ‘think only about national tasks’ will become even more prominent."

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