Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho answers reporters' questions as he leaves the Government Gwacheon Complex in Gyeonggi Province on Monday. President Lee Jae Myung accepted Jeong's resignation the same day. [Yonhap]
Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho answers reporters' questions as he leaves the Government Gwacheon Complex in Gyeonggi Province on Monday. President Lee Jae Myung accepted Jeong's resignation the same day. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung's acceptance of Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho's resignation Monday is expected to accelerate a cabinet reshuffle as the People's Sovereignty government enters its second year.

Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said Monday that Lee had accepted Jeong's resignation after the minister indicated his deteriorating health made it impossible to continue in the role. "The government plans to move swiftly on a successor appointment to ensure no disruption to state affairs," she said.

The Justice Ministry will be run by Vice Minister Lee Jin-su in an acting capacity until a new minister is named.

Political attention has turned to the scale and timing of the broader reshuffle. Two ministerial posts are the most immediate priorities: the Justice Ministry vacancy and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups seat left open after its minister was nominated as Prime Minister Han Seong-sook.

Among those mentioned as potential successors at the Justice Ministry are Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers Park Gyun-taek and Lee Geon-tae, both former prosecutors with ties to the pro-Lee camp. Some observers also see Democratic Party lawmaker Park Ju-min — who has been involved in prosecution-reform discussions through his work on the National Assembly's Legislation and Judiciary Committee — as a possible pick.

For the SMEs and Startups post, Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Han-gyu and First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Lee Hyeong-il have been mentioned. Democratic Party lawmaker Han Jun-ho, another figure close to Lee, and Ha Jung-woo, the former Cheong Wa Dae AI future planning chief, have also come up in some circles.

Possible changes at the ministries of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Health and Welfare, and Education are also being discussed, along with the potential appointment of lawmaker Song Yeong-gil as foreign minister. However, given the approaching national audit schedule and the burden of confirmation hearings, a phased reshuffle — filling the vacant posts first and making remaining changes at year's end — is seen as the more likely approach.


an@heraldcorp.com