Lee Accepts Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom’s Resignation as Blue House Shake-up Looms

Kim Yong-beom, the first policy chief appointed by President Lee Jae-myung, has left office after months of political pressure over Seoul-area housing prices and the introduction of single-stock leveraged exchange-traded funds.

“

Kim Yong-beom, the Blue House policy chief, expressed his intention to resign yesterday, Aug. 31. President Lee Jae-myung accepted his resignation today.

Blue House chief spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said Kim submitted his resignation on Aug. 31 and that Lee accepted it on Sept. 1. Kim had served for about a year and three months after taking the post shortly after Lee’s government began. He coordinated economic and real estate policy, as well as negotiations over U.S. tariffs.

Lee had retained Kim during a cabinet reshuffle announced on Aug. 30, replacing the ministers responsible for finance, land and transport, justice, and defense while also creating a new senior post for AI and future planning. Opposition calls for Kim’s departure continued after that reshuffle, however, while debate over his future remained unresolved.

“

Kim appears to have felt burdened and directly offered his resignation after criticism of his future continued following the reshuffle. Most of the president’s aides are under pressure as the approval rating has not recovered.

A Blue House official said Kim appeared to have felt mounting pressure after criticism of his position continued following the reshuffle. The official said most presidential advisers were under strain as Lee’s approval rating continued to decline. Kim’s resignation has prompted speculation about wider changes. Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik has been mentioned as a possible candidate if a Seoul mayoral by-election takes place next year, while National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac could move to another post. Political Affairs Secretary Hong Ik-pyo has also been linked to a possible appointment as unification minister. A ruling-party source said further personnel changes could follow if the president’s approval rating fails to recover, including additional cabinet and Blue House changes after the October parliamentary audit.

“

If the president’s approval rating does not rebound after the mid-sized reshuffle, additional personnel changes will be unavoidable.