Kang Yoo-jung: "Blue House Senior Appointments Are a Reshuffle to Accelerate Second-Year Achievements"... On Han Chan-sik's Appointment: "Someone Who Can Focus on the Job"

On the 'supplementary investigative authority' debate: "Minimizing public inconvenience is the President's stance"

On the dinner with Trump: "There were unexpected gains"

On the European tour: "Korea's standing experienced firsthand was diff

Kang Yoo-jung, Senior Presidential Spokesperson, recently described the latest senior-level appointments at the Blue House as "a personnel reshuffle to swiftly realize the second-year national goal of building an 'irreplaceable Republic of Korea.'" Regarding the differing views between the administration and the ruling party on the issue of supplementary investigative powers for prosecutors, she stated, "The President’s consistent position is that if institutional changes could inconvenience the lives of the people, we must proceed only after thorough deliberation and preparing complementary measures."

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the senior presidential secretaries meeting held at the Blue House on June 19, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On June 22, during her appearance on MBC Radio's "Kwon Soon-pyo's News High Kick," Senior Spokesperson Kang said that the latest appointments "were not entirely unexpected," explaining, "If the past year was a period of stabilization, signaling that Korean democracy has robustly recovered after the turmoil of a state of rebellion, now is the time to accelerate progress based on the policies that have been established. This reshuffle is meant to reinforce momentum through personnel renewal."

Regarding the appointment of Song Ki-ho, former Secretary for Economic Security, as the Third Deputy Director of the National Security Office, she assessed, "This is a signal to enhance the functionality of economic security amid complex crises such as tariff negotiations and the situation in the Middle East." She added, "The goal of creating a smart and strong military is not an ideological one but is based on consideration of the burdens on young people, future battlefield environments, and global trends."

On the controversial appointment of Han Chan-sik, a former prosecutor, as Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs, she commented, "It is difficult to expect unanimous social agreement for the position of Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs," but continued, "There are clear expectations for the role, and there was an internal assessment that he is the right person for the job." She added, "There is a public perception that he can focus on his work without dividing sides."

Regarding the issue of supplementary investigative powers for prosecutors, President Lee Jae-myung once again emphasized the need to balance the direction of reform, which he has consistently advocated, with minimizing public inconvenience. Senior Spokesperson Kang explained, "President Lee has said, 'You can't throw away rice just because you're afraid of weevils.' The intention is to find a balance between correcting problems in the system and preserving its inherent positive functions." She added, "The key is not whether it is called supplementary investigative rights or supplementary investigation request rights, but rather how we buffer and change laws and institutions to protect the lives of the people."

Regarding the outcomes of the European tour, Senior Spokesperson Kang said, "Korea's status is very different when experienced locally compared to what is heard domestically." She particularly shared an anecdote from the state visit to Italy, where the governor of Tuscany said, "I have read President Lee Jae-myung’s autobiography in its entirety," and described how various leaders mentioned Korean dramas, noting, "I could feel the influence of Korean culture."

Concerning the dinner with U.S. President Donald Trump, she stated, "There were unexpected gains, from light-hearted conversations that could not be had in a summit meeting to candid exchanges." As for President Lee's diplomatic style, she introduced, "During 10- or 12-hour flights, he studies materials continuously and even keeps up with the latest personal changes of his counterparts. He delivers thoughtful remarks naturally without showing off his preparation."

The President’s commitment to further expanding communication was also reaffirmed. Senior Spokesperson Kang relayed, "The President has said, 'I still feel there is a lack of communication. I should hold more press conferences and elevate social media communication to the level of global leaders.'" As an achievement of the past year, she cited "openness and transparency," but also expressed regret, saying, "There should have been more frequent opportunities for communication with young people."

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