Yoon names new chief of staff, presidential secretary in person

Politics

Published: 22 Apr. 2024, 10:41 Updated: 22 Apr. 2024, 19:24

Yoon names new chief of staff, presidential secretary in person

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, names Chung Jin-suk, a five-term lawmaker of the People Power Party (PPP), as his new chief of staff at a press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul Monday morning. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol named Chung Jin-suk, a five-term lawmaker of the People Power Party (PPP), as his new chief of staff Monday.

Yoon named Chung during a live broadcast press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in the morning, the first of two appointments made in person by the president that day.

Chung, known as a close confidant to the president, is a journalist-turned-politician who previously served as a senior presidential secretary for political affairs for former President Lee Myung-bak.

"I think you know him well enough that he needs no introduction," Yoon said, describing Chung as a figure who has an "amicable relationship" with rivaling parties based on his long experience as a lawmaker.

"As the chief of staff, I expect him to perform his duties well by communicating smoothly not only with the Yongsan staff, but also with the Cabinet, the governing and rival parties, media and all parts of civil society," Yoon added.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and senior presidential secretaries including Lee Kwan-sup, the former chief of staff, submitted their resignations on April 11 to take responsibility for the PPP's defeat in the recent general election.

A native of Gongju in South Chungcheong, Chung started his career in journalism at the Hankook Ilbo and became a lawmaker in 2000. He later served as a senior presidential secretary for political affairs from 2010 to 2011.

In April 2022, Chung led then President-elect Yoon's delegation to Japan to deliver a letter from Yoon to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Chung also previously served as a PPP interim chief and a deputy speaker of the National Assembly.

PPP officials said that Yoon recently met Chung at the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, central Seoul and offered him the position of chief of staff.

Yoon also took rare questions from the press on Monday.

"When I say that I will become a president who does politics, I meant I will make it easy for the public to understand when I send messages through the Yongsan staff," Yoon said.

"Since the direction we need to move forward in and policies have been established, from now on, we will focus on getting closer to the people to persuade and communicate more about the direction we are moving in," Yoon said, also promising to "communicate more with the opposing party to promote policies."

When asked what agenda would be discussed at a first meeting with liberal Democratic Party (DP) Chairman Lee Jae-myung, Yoon said, "I invited Chairman Lee Jae-myung to Yongsan, and rather than saying what I want to say, the invitation was made to listen to what he has to say."

Yoon said that "it is clear that there are many differences" in the positions of the rivaling parties.

"However, we can narrow our differences and agree on agendas related to the people's livelihood and talk about some ways to stabilize the people's livelihood," he said.

Chung in turn expressed his worries about the difficulties in the current political situation between the rivaling parties.

"I am the person who encouraged the president to devote himself to politics and contributed in my own way to the launch of the Yoon administration," Chung said. "I think the way to fulfill my responsibility is to overcome these difficulties together."

He said that he will "strive to provide even a small amount of assistance in leading a politics of greater communication and integration."

Yoon took two questions from reporters, marking the first time since November 2022, when he canceled his daily "doorstepping" sessions. The morning question-and-answer sessions were suspended after a presidential aide clashed with an MBC reporter.

Yoon last held a formal press conference to mark the 100th day since his inauguration on Aug. 17, 2022, though he took informal questions during a luncheon event with press in front of the presidential office on May 2 last year.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, introduces Hong Chul-ho, founder of the Goobne Chicken franchise, as his new senior secretary for political affairs, at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul in his second press encounter of the day. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Later Monday afternoon, Yoon again personally announced that he appointed former PPP Rep. Hong Chul-ho as new senior presidential secretary for political affairs, replacing Han Oh-seop.

Hong, a former two-term lawmaker, is the founder of Goobne Chicken, currently Korea's fifth-largest fried chicken franchise.

Introducing Hong in his second press conference held some five hours after his first one that day, Yoon described Hong as a "self-made businessman" who will listen to the voices of the people, stressing he has "excellent communication skills."

Yoon as a president-elect announced his first Cabinet nominees in 2022, but since taking office, his chief of staff usually made announcements on appointments.

He took two more impromptu questions from reporters in the afternoon, and Yoon said that he expects it will "take more time" to appoint a new prime minister.

Holding two question-and-answer sessions in one day appears to be a part of Yoon's efforts to show an effort to change following the PPP's election defeat and keep his promise to become a better communicator.

On Friday, Yoon in a phone call proposed his first formal meeting with DP chief Lee Jae-myung.

"I will honestly convey the public sentiment revealed in the general elections when I meet the president," said Lee in a DP supreme council meeting on Monday, calling on a politics to resolve livelihood issues.

"The presidential office, government and National Assembly must change together," Lee said. "We must not be afraid of change[…] I hope that this meeting will be a turning point in restoring politics for the people."

The DP in turn criticized Yoon for his chief of staff appointment Monday, saying it disregards public calls for a change in the way he handles state affairs.

"It is questionable whether President Yoon truly understands the public sentiment from the April 10 general election," Han Min-soo, DP spokesperson, said after a supreme council. "I'm not sure how many people will accept that the president is changed the tone of running state affairs with Rep. Chung becoming chief of staff."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]