Lee Jae-myung’s approval rating stood at 66 percent in April but has now dropped to just 42 percent. South Koreans cite housing policy as the main reason for their discontent, but inflation fueled by high energy prices is also weighing on the president.
Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said on Sunday that the first cabinet reshuffle under Lee aims to “revive the livelihoods of the people and the economy, keep the daily lives of the people stable, and promote innovation in future industries.” Lee Hyoung-il, who previously served as vice minister and introduced a price cap on petroleum products, will become the new economy and finance minister.
The appointment of Kang Shin-chul as defense minister is seen as significant for the military. Kang served as deputy commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command and is expected to push forward the development of “independent” defense capabilities. His predecessor, Ahn Gyu-back, was the first civilian in this post in decades—a response to the martial law declared by former President Yoon Suk-yeol, which was supported by parts of the military.
Kim Seung-won, a lawmaker who had pushed for reform of the prosecution service’s structure, becomes the new justice minister. The conservative opposition criticized his appointment as unnecessary politicization. Korean media view the cabinet reshuffle as surprisingly large but see no shift in the president’s policy direction.
Source: www.faz.net
