President Lee Accepts Justice Minister Jeong Seongho's Resignation Due to Health Reasons... Successor Appointment Accelerates

Minister Jeong: "No Longer Able to Fulfill Duties"

Resignation Accepted Six Days After Submission

Blue House: "Swift Appointment to Ensure Smooth Governance"

Cabinet Reshuffle Expected to Be Affected

President Jae Myung Lee accepted the resignation of Minister of Justice Sung Ho Jung on August 24, following Jung's request to step down due to deteriorating health. The resignation came six days after Jung submitted his letter of resignation on the 18th. The government plans to accelerate the appointment process for the next minister in order to minimize any disruption in justice administration.

Minister of Justice Sung Ho Jung is attending the 1st Eulji Cabinet Meeting held at the Blue House on the 18th, presided over by President Jae Myung Lee. 2026.8.18 [Photo by Blue House Press Photographers Group] Yonhap News

Kang Yoo Jung, Senior Spokesperson at the Blue House, announced, "President Jae Myung Lee has accepted Minister Jung's resignation, as he expressed that worsening health made it difficult to continue in his duties." She added, "To ensure there are no setbacks in state affairs, the government will proceed swiftly with the appointment of a successor."

Minister Jung submitted his resignation to President Lee on August 18, citing health reasons. At that time, the Blue House had requested that Jung continue to fulfill his ministerial duties until a successor was appointed, aiming to minimize any administrative gaps. However, after Jung repeatedly expressed his inability to effectively perform his official responsibilities due to declining health, the president decided to accept his resignation.

With Jung's resignation now officially accepted, the process of selecting a new Minister of Justice is expected to accelerate. As the government is currently considering follow-up appointments for some ministries, the selection of the next justice minister is likely to serve as an indicator for the scope and timing of future Cabinet reshuffles.

The Ministry of Justice is currently facing major issues such as the launch of the Prosecution Service and the Serious Crimes Investigation Service, resulting from reform of the criminal justice system. Therefore, the Blue House is expected to expedite the appointment process, taking into account the National Assembly’s confirmation procedures and policy continuity.

Kang Yoo Jung, Senior Spokesperson at the Blue House, stated, "We will promptly move to appoint a successor so there is no disruption to government administration," adding, "However, at this time, we cannot provide any details about the schedule of the upcoming reshuffle or the extent of its scope."

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