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President Lee withdraws nomination of Lee Hye-hoon for budget minister role

Published: 25 Jan. 2026, 14:36

Lee Hye-hoon, the nominee for the first minister of the to-be-established Ministry of Planning and Budget, takes part in her confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Jan. 23. [NEWS1]

President Lee Jae Myung withdrew his nomination of Lee Hye-hoon for minister of planning and budget on Sunday.

"The president carefully listened to opinions from all sectors of society, and closely followed the confirmation hearing as well as the public’s subsequent response that came after," Hong Ik-pyo, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, said Sunday in a press briefing.

“After much deliberation, President Lee decided to withdraw the nomination,” Hong said.

“Although the nominee served three terms in the National Assembly with a conservative party, she unfortunately failed to meet the public’s expectations for the role of planning and budget minister in a government based on people's sovereignty,” Hong said. “True unity can only be achieved through change that transcends partisan logic.”

Hong added that President Lee remains committed to his goal of forming a broadly inclusive government and “will continue efforts to reaffirm the values of unity through his appointments.”

During a confirmation hearing Friday at the National Assembly’s Planning and Finance Committee, lawmakers grilled Lee Hye-hoon over allegations of illegally obtaining an apartment in southern Seoul, preferential treatment for her son’s admission to Yonsei University and mistreatment of aides.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]