[6.29 Cabinet Reshuffle] Lee Dong-gwan Excluded Amid Concerns Over Reduced Reshuffle Effect and Wasted Government Momentum

Presidential Office: "Many Factors to Consider in Personnel Decisions... Announcement to Follow"

President Yoon Suk-yeol carried out a large-scale appointment of vice ministers and agency heads at the level of a cabinet reshuffle on the 29th, with about nine months remaining until next year's general election for the National Assembly. However, the nomination of Lee Dong-gwan, the President's Special Advisor for External Cooperation, as the candidate for chairman of the Korea Communications Commission, which was mentioned as the signal of this reshuffle, was not implemented. This decision is seen as a measure to avoid the reshuffle's effect being diminished and the waste of national governance momentum due to the personnel hearing process surrounding this candidate.

President Yoon did not nominate Lee as the candidate for the chairman of the Korea Communications Commission this time and is known to reconsider the nomination after the reshuffle is completed. Since President Yoon is personally highlighting and comparing the economic and diplomatic achievements with the Moon Jae-in administration, while aiming to secure policy-driving momentum and consolidate his support base through the reshuffle, it is interpreted as a strategy to avoid a hearing process caused by this special advisor.

Marking the second year of his presidency, President Yoon has continued to express his intention to drive policies including the three major reforms in labor, education, and pensions, as well as deregulation of the economy, broadcasting and civic group policies, and welfare. At the 69th anniversary founding ceremony of the Korea Freedom Federation and the 2023 National Fiscal Strategy Meeting held the day before, President Yoon harshly criticized the Moon Jae-in administration and opposition parties as "forces shaking and threatening the free Republic of Korea and denying national identity" and "fiscal addicts," emphasizing the strengthening of the Korea-US alliance, maintaining sound fiscal management, and a comprehensive review of national treasury subsidies. In particular, President Yoon instructed ministers to mentally rearm by stating, "If political power truly loves the nation and its people, it must undertake sound fiscal management and a 'fiscal diet (austerity)' for the country even if it loses elections."

Former Senior Secretary Dong-gwan Lee / Photo by Yonhap News

Since the term of former Korea Communications Commission Chairman Han Sang-hyuk ends at the end of next month, if this special advisor is appointed this time, it is believed that the situation requiring two personnel hearings?first to fill the remainder of Han's term through a by-election and then for a new appointment?was also considered. If the hearing process is prolonged and the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee (STIBC), which handles the Korea Communications Commission chairman's hearing, experiences disruptions, there is a high possibility that the handling of pending issues such as the Space Aviation Agency will be delayed.

In fact, the STIBC has repeatedly faced disruptions throughout the June extraordinary session of the National Assembly, with the People Power Party insisting on the special law for the Space Aviation Agency and the opposition party demanding priority on issues related to Fukushima contaminated water. Furthermore, if this special advisor is nominated as the Korea Communications Commission candidate this time, there is a high likelihood that the hearing process will be triggered due to controversies such as his children's school violence allegations and issues related to his views on the media.

A senior official from the Presidential Office met with reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day and refrained from giving specific comments on the "reason why the Korea Communications Commission chairman was excluded from the announcement," saying, "There are many considerations when making personnel decisions, and since the position is vacant, it will be announced later."

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