Lee's bungled personnel picks hold back his agenda

President Lee Jae Myung is facing difficulty in regaining momentum in state affairs, as a Cabinet reshuffle intended to give his administration a fresh start in its second year has instead backfired amid a series of controversies.

Rep. Yong Hye-in, nominated as minister of gender equality and family by Lee, stepped down Sunday after two weeks at the center of controversy, removing one immediate source of trouble but doing little to resolve broader questions about the administration's personnel choices.

Her nomination renewed questions about the influence of Kim Hyun-ji, Lee's longtime aide and first deputy chief of staff, over personnel choices and state affairs — questions that have persisted since Lee took office in June 2025.

The presidential office has rejected speculation about Kim's involvement, but Yong's nomination has drawn criticism of the administration's personnel vetting process.

Another disputed pick, Justice Minister nominee Kim Seung-won, is set to proceed with his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, indicating implicit backing from Cheong Wa Dae and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

Kim, a two-term lawmaker, faces allegations that he used his influence to help a company win approval for a COVID-19 drug clinical trial in 2021. The controversy intensified after audio files emerged suggesting that he had been in contact with a broker connected to the company.

All these developments come as Lee struggles with falling approval ratings and public dissatisfaction over domestic issues, including real estate policies, controversial financial products and personnel appointments.

Adding to his difficulties is the politically sensitive question of whether Korea should make a military contribution to the U.S.-led mission in the Strait of Hormuz as part of the country's war with Iran — a decision that could further test his public support.

The situation recalls former President Roh Moo-hyun's decision to send additional troops to Iraq in 2003 despite strong opposition from his progressive support base.

Roh’s approval rating fell afterward, although the troop deployment was not the only factor behind the decline.

“The Cabinet reshuffle was supposed to give the Lee administration a chance to reset, but the controversies surrounding the nominees have largely wiped out that effect,” Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, said.

“Instead of giving Lee fresh momentum, the personnel choices have created new trouble and could slow down his efforts to move his agenda forward,” the professor added.

The agenda includes follow-up measures for prosecution reform, with the relevant legislation set to take effect Oct. 2.

The ruling camp remains divided over how the reform should be implemented, adding to concerns over Lee’s weakening political support.

Lee weighed in on the dispute Friday, warning that radical rhetoric could provoke resistance and ultimately undermine reform. He said reform should be carried out carefully and with broad public support while stressing that he had never abandoned its goals.

The disagreement has also fueled friction between new DPK Chairman Kim Min-seok and Gyeonggi Province Gov. Choo Mi-ae, also a DPK member.

Choo has openly criticized the administration's approach to prosecution reform, including its choice for the first head of the new serious crimes investigation agency, while Kim has pushed back against her criticism of Lee.

Lee's approval rating has been dropping to hit new lows for weeks, with the latest Realmeter poll release on Monday showing his approval rating falling 3.6 percentage points from the previous week to 33.8 percent

It marks the ninth consecutive week of decline and the lowest level since he took office. His disapproval rating rose 3.8 percentage points to 63.3 percent.

The ruling DPK also lost ground, falling 5.7 percentage points to 36.1 percent, while the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) gained 4.5 percentage points to reach 42.1 percent.

The presidential approval survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level and a response rate of 4.5 percent.

The party support survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at the same confidence level and a response rate of 3.6 percent.

More details are available on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.