South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has decided to withdraw the nomination of Lee Hye-hoon for budget minister due to mounting controversy surrounding her personal issues. Lee Hye-hoon, a former three-term lawmaker from the opposition bloc, was selected to lead the newly established Ministry of Planning and Budget last month. However, she faced allegations of misconduct, including questionable real estate transactions involving her family and mistreatment of subordinates.
President Lee made the decision to retract the nomination after careful consideration and reflection, as stated by Hong Ihk-pyo, the senior presidential secretary for political affairs. The president took into account various opinions from different sectors of society and thoroughly reviewed Lee Hye-hoon’s parliamentary confirmation hearing and subsequent public feedback. Unfortunately, she did not meet the public’s expectations for the role of minister of planning and budget.
The former nominee was accused of manipulating the purchase rights for a luxury apartment in Seoul by falsely declaring her eldest son as unmarried to increase the family’s chances of securing the property. Additionally, Lee faced criticism for her husband’s alleged involvement in real estate speculation near Incheon International Airport and her past support for martial law imposed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol in December 2024. President Lee aims to promote national unity through future personnel appointments spanning the political spectrum.
