The presidential office said on the 24th that President Lee Jae-myung accepted the resignation of Justice Minister Jung Sung-ho.
Kang Yu-jung, the senior presidential spokesperson, said in a media notice that afternoon, "The president accepted Minister Jung Sung-ho's offer to step down, in which he said worsening health makes it difficult to continue performing his duties," and added, "The government will swiftly proceed with follow-up appointments to ensure there is no disruption in state affairs."
Minister Jung has repeatedly offered to resign since last month, citing health issues and other reasons. A classmate of President Lee from the training institute and a "39-year-old confidant," he is also a senior figure in the party who shares opinions with President Lee without reserve.
The government is expected to announce appointments soon after vetting a successor candidate. Until a successor Minister is appointed, the Ministry of Justice will operate under a system in which Vice Minister Lee Jin-su serves as acting Minister.
As the inaugural Minister of Justice in the Lee Jae-myung administration, Minister Jung has led prosecutorial reform, including abolishing the Prosecution Service and establishing the Public Prosecution Office and the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency. However, he has shown some differences with hard-liners within the ruling party, expressing concern over the "possibility of investigative gaps" regarding the abolition of supplementary investigation authority.