Yoon replaces 3 minister-level officials in partial reshuffle

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday carried out his first Cabinet shake-up following the general election in April, replacing three ministerial posts, including the head of the state broadcasting watchdog.

Yoon named Lee Jin-sook, a former journalist at public broadcaster MBC and the nation’s first female war correspondent, as the new Korea Communications Commission chairperson, chief of staff Chung Jin-suk said in a press briefing.

“Lee is the country’s first female war correspondent and was the president of (local broadcaster MBC’s branch in Daejeon), who has proved herself to be a competent journalist as well as a head of a business with the ability to manage and communicate smoothly,” Chung said.

“We believe she will normalize the management of the KCC and restore public trust in the media” he added.

Lee’s nomination closely follows Yoon’s decision Tuesday to accept former KCC Chairman Kim Hong-il’s resignation offer. Kim voluntarily stepped down to prevent the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea’s plans to propose and pass an impeachment motion against him through the opposition-led Assembly. Kim was accused by the main opposition of “abusing his power” and being complicit in what the current acting main opposition leader Park Chan-dae called the “Yoon administration’s attempt to control the media.”

Kim's predecessor, Lee Dong-kwan, had also stepped down due to the main opposition’s threat of impeachment in December last year.

In her briefing at the presidential office following Chung’s announcement, Lee Jin-sook addressed her two predecessors’ resignations and labeled the main opposition’s impeachment motions as “politically driven” actions.

"I stand here with a heavy heart because I have been nominated after witnessing my two predecessors resign after serving for merely three and six months, respectively," she said.

"They did not engage in any illegal activities while they were in office. They left their positions to prevent the disruption of the KCC's duties ahead of politically driven impeachments," she added.

Thursday’s reshuffle also involved the nomination of Kim Byoung-hwan, the first vice minister of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, as the new chief of the Financial Services Commission

Kim Byoung-hwan pledged to focus on quelling concerns tied to the country’s real estate market upon taking office.

"My top priority will be managing risks tied to real estate project financing," Kim said, adding that curbing household debts is a key goal to pursue by the end of the year.

Kim Wan-sup, who previously served as second vice finance minister, was named the minister of environment in the latest reshuffle as well.

Seven vice-ministerial-level positions, including the heads of the forest service and state museum, were also replaced through Thursday’s shake-up.

All ministerial-level nominees will be subjected to parliamentary hearings, but Yoon can legally proceed with the appointment regardless of the results.