Cheong Wa Dae appoints Hong Ihk-pyo as new Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs... Woo Sang-ho to run for Governor of Gangwon State

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[The Financial News] With less than five months to go until the June 3 local elections, the first reshuffle of Cheong Wa Dae aides since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration is imminent. As the March 5 deadline approaches for public officials to resign in order to run in the local elections, a series of resignations by aides seeking to stand in the elections is expected from this month through February, which includes the Lunar New Year holiday.
Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Relations and Communications Kyuyoun Lee said at a briefing at Chunchugwan on the 18th that former Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) floor leader Hong Ihk-pyo has been appointed as the new Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs at Cheong Wa Dae. His term will begin on the 20th. Hong, the new Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, is a three-term lawmaker who has served as chair of the DPK’s policy committee and as Chair of the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee. In particular, as floor leader in 2023, he worked closely with then DPK leader President Lee Jae-myung.
After the personnel announcement, Hong stated via social networking service (SNS), "I believe my foremost duty is to realize President Lee Jae-myung’s philosophy of tolerance and unity, which seeks to bring together the hearts of the people on the path to changing their lives and shaping the destiny of the Republic of Korea." He added, "As a bridge connecting the president and the people, and Cheong Wa Dae and the political community, I will listen with open ears, move diligently, convey diverse opinions without omission or distortion, and do my utmost to forge them into a unified force."
Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs Woo Sang-ho has tendered his resignation in order to run for Governor of Gangwon State in the June 3 local elections. He reflected that he took great pride in having helped ensure that dialogue and communication between Cheong Wa Dae and the various political parties continued without interruption. With Woo’s resignation as Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs, moves by Cheong Wa Dae aides to run in the local elections are expected to gain full momentum.
Kim Byung-wook, Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs and a member of the original pro-Lee faction gathering known as the "Group of Seven," is also widely expected to resign soon to run for Mayor of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Ko Yong-jin, a former two-term DPK lawmaker, is reportedly among the leading candidates to succeed Kim as Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs. Ko served as chief spokesperson of the election campaign committee when President Lee ran in the 2022 presidential election. Asked by reporters about the possibility that members of the political affairs line will run in the local elections, the Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Relations and Communications said, "It is difficult to say that anything has been finalized yet," adding, "If several people were to leave the Senior Presidential Secretary for Political Affairs’ office all at once, it could impair its political functions, so my understanding is that the matter is being reviewed over time." 
In addition, Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Kim Nam-joon is expected to run in a by-election for the National Assembly in Gyeyang B, Incheon, which was President Lee’s former constituency.
Other potential candidates include Lee Sun-ho, secretary in the Office of the Secretary for Local Autonomy and Regional Development and former head of the Ulsan City Party Committee, who is being mentioned as a possible contender for Mayor of Ulsan; senior administrative officer Jin Seok-beom of the Office of the Secretary to the President for Health and Welfare, who may run for Mayor of Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province; and administrative officer Kim Kwang of the Office of the Secretary for Local Autonomy and Regional Development, who is seen as a potential candidate for Mayor of Gyeyang District, Incheon. In addition, administrative officer Seo Jeong-wan is being mentioned as a possible candidate for Mayor of Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, while Seong Jun-hu, an administrative officer in the Office of the Secretary to the President for National Unity, is considered a potential candidate for Imsil County Governor of North Jeolla Province.
Particular attention is also being paid to the future moves of Chief of Staff to the President of the Republic of Korea Kang Hoon-sik and Chief Presidential Secretary for Policy Kim Yong-beom, amid a heightened likelihood of metropolitan government mergers as the administration pushes ahead with administrative integration of Gwangju Metropolitan City and South Jeolla Province following Daejeon Metropolitan City and South Chungcheong Province. There has been persistent speculation that they could be tapped to run in such races. Recently, however, sentiment has shifted toward the likelihood that they will remain at Cheong Wa Dae.
Public officials wishing to run in the local elections must resign by March 5, which is 90 days before election day. Accordingly, the first reshuffle of Cheong Wa Dae aides since the launch of the Lee Jae-myung administration is also expected to begin in earnest sometime in February.
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter