President Lee Jae-myung presented a letter of appointment to Lim Kwang-hyun, the new presidential chief of staff, on the 15th. A plaque of appreciation was given to former chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik.
Kang Yu-jung, senior presidential spokesperson, announced the move in a notice to the media the same day. Kang, who served as the first chief of staff of the Lee administration, wrapped up his 499th day in the post and handed the baton to Lim that day. Lim began his duties by attending a situation review meeting in the morning, followed by a senior secretaries' meeting presided over by the president in the afternoon.
Sung Ki-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication, said on CBS Radio the same day that Lim's selection reflects the president's governing priorities. "I believe the choice of chief of staff Lim, who will lead the presidential staff in the second phase of this administration, embodies the president's commitment to a 'working staff' and a 'working administration,'" Sung said. He explained the rationale further: "The president places enormous importance on whether we produce results, so that the governance road map he drew up early on is felt in the daily lives of the people. If that is the goal, then the wheels that will carry it forward need to be replaced."
A day earlier, Lee wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Kang "played a major role in quickly stabilizing the administration, which Lee has called the 'people's sovereignty government' and which began on barren ground, and in restoring normal governance." He added a message for Lim: "Let us hold the will of the Korean people in infinite regard and navigate together this great watershed in our modern history."