Presidential Office Chief Won't Receive Medal... "Considered Awards for Staff but Withdrawn"

Presidential Office Official: "Considering Various Conditions, It Is Judged Better Not to Give at This Point"

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The Presidential Office has withdrawn its plan to award medals to Lee Jin-bok, Senior Secretary for Political Affairs, and Kang Seung-gyu, Senior Secretary for Civil Society, at the end of the year.

A Presidential Office official said on the afternoon of the 14th during a meeting with reporters, "There was a plan to proceed with such awards (medals, decorations, and commendations), but it was ultimately decided not to confer the honors."

He explained, "Every year, it has been customary to award presidential medals, decorations, and commendations. We prepared accordingly, but considering various circumstances, it was judged better not to award them at this time."

Some interpret that criticism regarding the appropriateness of awarding medals and commendations influenced this decision. In particular, as the Geunjeong Medal was expected to be awarded, some media outlets raised concerns about whether it was appropriate for the two senior secretaries to receive it.

The Geunjeong Medal is awarded to public officials who have demonstrated outstanding dedication and clear achievements in their duties.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Office plans to soon carry out personnel promotions for administrative officers.

A Presidential Office official explained, "This is a personnel move typically conducted at the end of the year," adding, "The exact timing and scale are undecided."

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