President Lee Jae-myung on the 4th accepted the resignation of Kim Nam-kuk, presidential office secretary for public digital communication, who caused controversy over an "influence-peddling text message." It came two days after media cameras captured Kim exchanging texts about a favor with Rep. Moon Jin-seok, the Democratic Party of Korea senior deputy floor leader for operations. The two are alumni of Lee's alma mater, Chung-Ang University, and members of the "Group of Seven," Lee's original inner circle.
The presidential office said in a media notice that "Digital Communication Secretary Kim Nam-kuk submitted a resignation letter to the presidential secretariat today, and the resignation was accepted." On the 2nd, during a National Assembly plenary session convened to handle the "2026 budget," Rep. Moon sent Kim a Telegram message seeking to recommend a fellow university alumnus as head of the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Associatio (KAMA).
Rep. Moon said, "He is our Chung-Ang junior, served as Spokesperson when the president ran for governor, and also served as Deputy Minister at the automobile industry association, so he seems qualified to serve as chair. Please put in a word. You also know Hong Seong-beom," adding, "If I recommend him, Deputy Minister Kang Hoon-sik will oppose it, so you recommend him for me." Kim replied, "Yes, hyung, I will recommend him to Hoon-sik hyung and Hyun-ji nuna." "Hoon-sik hyung" refers to Deputy Minister Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to the president, and "Hyun-ji nuna" refers to Kim Hyun-ji, the presidential office first lady's office chief.
Deputy Minister Kim, the first lady's office chief, has long faced allegations of being a "power broker in the presidential office" who intervened in personnel appointments. She has worked with the president since his days as a human rights lawyer in Seongnam and is considered a key aide in the so-called "Seongnam line." The first lady's office chief, who oversees the president's schedule, has no authority to engage in personnel matters. With such Kim appearing in a reply related to an influence-peddling request, the power-broker controversy is likely to grow.
Previously, at the end of September, ahead of a National Assembly audit, Deputy Minister Kim was suddenly reassigned from secretary for general affairs to first lady's office chief. The People Power Party said it was "a trick to avoid appearing at the audit." In particular, after it became known that Kim had a phone call just before nominee Kang Sun-woo withdrew from consideration as Minister of Gender Equality and Family in July this year, talk emerged that she had intervened in ministerial personnel as well. At the time, Deputy Minister Kang Hoon-sik appeared at the National Assembly and said, "I gave a warning. I told her never to let that happen again."