Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Hyun-ji attending the Ulchi State Council (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Hong Hae-in = Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Hyun-ji is attending the Ulchi State Council, chaired by President Lee Jae-myung, at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul on August 18. 2025.8.18 hihong@yna.co.kr

Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Hyun-ji will move to the position of Deputy Chief of Staff.

President Lee Jae-myung carried out personnel and organizational changes at the Presidential Office on the 29th, including this appointment.

Yoon Ki-cheon, Deputy Chief of Staff for the Second Office, will move to the new position of Chief of Staff for the General Affairs Office, and the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for the Second Office is expected to remain vacant for the time being.

Some have pointed out that this appointment is an attempt to avoid Kim Hyun-ji's attendance at the National Assembly's audit of government affairs. However, it is known that Kim has stated to those around him that "I will attend if an agreement is reached in the National Assembly."

A Presidential Office official stated that "(this personnel change) is unrelated to the audit of government affairs" and that "regardless of the position, Kim's stance is to attend if the National Assembly decides, as per regulations."

Kim Nam-jun, who was the Deputy Chief of Staff for the First Office, has been appointed as spokesperson. He will serve as co-spokesperson with the existing spokesperson, Kang Yu-jeong.

Kang Hoon-sik, Chief of Staff to the President, explained the meaning of this appointment in a written briefing today, stating, "We have added a spokesperson to increase communication with the public."

Deputy Chief of Staff Kim Nam-jun attending a meeting of Senior Secretaries (Seoul=Yonhap News) Reporter Han Sang-gyun = Kim Nam-jun, Deputy Chief of Staff for the First Office, is attending a meeting of Senior Secretaries held at the Presidential Office in Yongsan on the 14th. 2025.8.14 xyz@yna.co.kr

In addition, President Lee reorganized the office by changing the Digital Communication Secretary's Office, which was under the Senior Secretary for Public Relations and Communication, to be directly under the Chief of Staff, and merging the Policy Public Relations Secretary's Office and the Government Affairs Public Relations Secretary's Office.

Furthermore, a Planning and Coordination Secretary's Office was newly established under the Senior Secretary for Political Affairs to strengthen communication and cooperation with the National Assembly and political parties, and a Government Affairs Planning Advisory Group will operate directly under the Chief of Staff.

Following the establishment of the Senior Secretary for Personnel Affairs on the 9th, as a subsequent measure, a Personnel Secretary's Office and a Balanced Personnel System Secretary's Office will be established under it.

A Presidential Office official stated that "the Presidential Office can carry out additional organizational reforms whenever improvements are needed," but added that "there are no immediate plans." 

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