President Lee Departs as Kang Hoon-sik, Who ‘Offered to Resign,’ Sees Him Off; 10-Second Conversation at Airport

[Financial News] President Lee Jae Myung departed on a trip to the United States and Mexico on the 21st, seeing off by Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, who had offered to resign. Kang announced his intention to step down that morning and later attended the send-off ceremony at Seoul Air Base. Before boarding Air Force One, President Lee spoke to Kang for about 10 seconds.
President Lee boarded Air Force One with his wife, Kim Hye-kyung, at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, that afternoon. Chief of Staff Kang, Hong Ik-pyo, senior secretary for political affairs at Cheong Wa Dae, Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, floor leader Han Byung-do, and Minister of the Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung were at the airport to see him off.
At around 5:02 p.m., President Lee shook hands with the send-off guests near the aircraft stairs. He gestured to Kang and spoke to him for about 10 seconds, to which Kang replied, "Yes, yes."
The presidential couple then walked up the aircraft stairs arm in arm. Before boarding, they bowed to the send-off guests and waved.
Earlier, Seong Ki-hong, senior secretary for public relations and communications at Cheong Wa Dae, said at a briefing that Kang had offered his resignation to President Lee that morning. At the 47th Senior Secretaries and Advisers Meeting held before his departure, President Lee said, "I haven't decided yet what I will do," indicating that he had not decided whether to accept Kang's resignation.
The trip will continue through the 27th. According to Wi Sung-lac, director of the Office of National Security (ONS), President Lee will deliver a keynote address at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York on the 22nd local time. He is expected to outline the direction of UN reform and Korea's contributions, while also explaining his vision for peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.
He also plans to meet with the UN secretary-general to seek attention and cooperation for peace on the Korean Peninsula, and to engage with the leaders of major countries, including the United States and Australia, in various ways. On the 23rd, he will attend the Korea Investment Summit 2026 and introduce AI policies, capital-market reform and other initiatives to global investors.
He will then arrive in Mexico City on the evening of the 23rd and begin his state visit. It will be the first state visit to Mexico by a South Korean leader in 16 years. On the 24th, he will hold a summit with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to discuss cooperation in trade and investment, energy and mineral supply chains, advanced industries, and the defense industry.
On the 25th, he will attend a business forum and the K-EXPO MEXICO event. President Lee will leave Mexico City on the 26th and return home on the 27th.
[email protected] Seong Seok-woo and Choi Jong-geun Reporter