# South Korean cabinet reshuffle under President Lee

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-korean-cabinet-reshuffle-under-president-lee
> Updated: 2026-08-31T00:39:42.000Z. Sources: 14. Developments: 2.

President Lee Jae-myung has initiated a major cabinet reshuffle across six ministries, including Justice, Defense, Land, Infrastructure and Transport, SMEs and Startups, and Gender Equality and Family. The move is interpreted as an attempt to regain political momentum following a decline in approval ratings, which recently fell below 40 percent due to dissatisfaction with economic and housing policies.

Among the key nominees is Kim Seung-won, a Democratic Party lawmaker and former judge, for Minister of Justice. Tasked with implementing prosecution reform and establishing a new prosecution office, Kim’s nomination has drawn criticism from the People Power Party, which suggests his background could compromise the ministry’s independence. Yong Hye-in has also been nominated to lead the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

To maintain policy continuity, the administration has nominated career bureaucrats for economic and infrastructure roles. Lee Hyung-il, currently the First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, has been nominated as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance. His mandate includes managing tax reform—specifically property tax deductions for single-home owners—and leveraging the semiconductor boom to address economic polarization. His objectives align with the ‘3-4-5 Economic Leap’ strategy, targeting a 3% potential growth rate, a top-four global export ranking, and a per capita national income of $50,000. Additionally, Hong Ji-sun, the current Second Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, has been nominated to lead that ministry.

## Claims

- President Lee's approval rating recently dropped into the 30% range for the first time. (disputed)
- President Lee Jae Myung's approval rating fell to 38.9 percent, dropping below 40 percent for the first time. (disputed)
- President Lee Jae-myung announced a major cabinet reshuffle involving six ministries. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Kim Seung-won has been nominated as the Minister of Justice. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Yong Hye-in has been nominated as the Minister of Gender Equality and Family. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Lee Hyung-il has been nominated as the Minister of Economy and Finance. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The average age of the six nominees is 50.5 years. (single source)
- The People Power Party criticized the reshuffle as a move to protect Lee Jae-myung. (single source)
- The Democratic Party described the appointments as practical personnel based on expertise. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-31: Lee Hyung-il nominated as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister

President Lee Jae-myung has nominated Lee Hyung-il as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, and Hong Ji-sun as Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to ensure policy continuity.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lee-hyung-il-nominated-as-deputy-prime-minister-and-finance-minister

### 2026-08-30: South Korea President Lee reshuffles six cabinet posts

President Lee Jae-myung reshuffled six cabinet posts, including justice and finance, to combat falling approval ratings. The move faces intense opposition criticism over prosecution reform nominees.

13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korea-president-lee-announces-major-six-ministry-cabinet-reshuffle

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Cite as: South Korean cabinet reshuffle under President Lee. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-korean-cabinet-reshuffle-under-president-lee