Lee's major cabinet reshuffle draws opposition backlash over Kim Seung-won nomination, seen as a "declaration of indictment dismissal"

[Financial News] The main opposition People Power Party pushed back against President Lee Jae Myung's major cabinet reshuffle on the 30th. It especially criticized the nomination of Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Seung-won as justice minister and the decision to keep Chief Presidential Secretary for Policy Kim Yong-beom in his post.
People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyuk said that day, "A lawmaker who previously served as a lawyer in the Daejang-dong case, Kim Seung-won, was nominated for justice minister. He was also a co-chair of the so-called 'indictment dismissal meeting.'" He argued, "In the end, Lee picked a justice minister who would carry the burden of trying to get his own trial dismissed."
Jang also pointed to Kim's record, saying, "He introduced a bill to abolish the breach-of-trust charge that applies to Lee, and as the Democratic Party's secretary on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly, he led efforts to strip prosecutors of their supplemental investigative powers entirely." He added that Kim had also claimed the Secret Remittance to North Korea scandal was an orchestrated investigation designed to target Lee, and that he had taken the lead in proposing a special prosecutor bill for indictment dismissal.
People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sig also said the same day that the reshuffle was "far from the kind of cabinet change the opposition requested to revive livelihoods, and instead a national sabotage reshuffle that confirms the second year of the administration is focused solely on indictment dismissal."
Jeong noted that Kim Seung-won had previously made public at a Democratic Party lawmakers' workshop the party's push to introduce a special prosecutor over alleged fabricated indictments. He called it a "declaration of a full-scale offensive for indictment dismissal." As the ruling party's secretary on the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, Kim had said he would pursue a special prosecutor over fabricated indictments and review indictment dismissal measures that could follow. All five of Lee's trials are also subject to special prosecutor investigations and possible indictment dismissal.
Jeong said, "This is about putting the spearhead of the special prosecutor for indictment dismissal into a cabinet post so Lee's trials can be erased."
He also criticized the move as a "scapegoating reshuffle that leaves in place Kim Yong-beom, the person responsible for failures in the economy and security, and Chung Dong-young, the Minister of Unification." He added, "Leaving Kim in place, even as he keeps boasting that growth has become more solid and consumer sentiment has recovered thanks to us, is itself a declaration that the government rejects reform. Retaining the unification minister, who aligns himself with Kim Jong Un's two-state theory, is a declaration that the constitution is being denied."
Veteran lawmaker Na Kyung-won also weighed in on Kim Yong-beom, calling the reshuffle an "obstinate reshuffle." She said he had not been held accountable for leading the introduction of leveraged ETFs tied to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which are often cited as a cause of the sharp swings in the domestic stock market.
Na said, "Kim Yong-beom, who designed a gambling-like stock market and a real estate market disciplined by punitive regulations and taxes, is being kept on." She added, "A reshuffle plan that does not replace Kim is an obstinate reshuffle fixated on failed real estate and stocks." She then urged Kim, Lee Eok-won, chairperson of the Financial Services Commission, and Lee Chan-jin, Governor of the Financial Supervisory Service, to resign over responsibility for the Samsung Electronics and SK hynix leveraged ETF issue.
Criticism also emerged over the promotion of Lee Hyoung-il, the first vice minister of finance and economy, and Hong Ji-seon, the second vice minister of land, infrastructure and transport, as nominees for deputy prime minister for economic affairs and minister of land, infrastructure and transport, respectively. Critics said the appointments signaled that the administration does not intend to change its economic policy stance, including on real estate, which has recently drawn controversy.
Jang said, "Appointing sitting vice ministers as deputy prime minister for economic affairs and land minister is a declaration that economic and real estate policy will not change even one bit." Jeong also said, "It clearly declares that there is no intention to change the existing economic policy line."
Jeong in particular pointed out that Hong had served as head of the Gyeonggi Province urban housing office when Lee was governor of Gyeonggi Province and had helped design the basic housing policy. He predicted, "Putting the architect of the failed basic housing plan at the forefront of a ministerial appointment means the administration wants to further strengthen the failed existing real estate policy line."

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