Kim Yong-beom, head of the Policy Office of the Presidential Office, announced his resignation on August 31, and President Lee Jae-myung accepted it on September 1. The resignation has drawn attention because it was reported as the first replacement of a senior Presidential Office chief since the Lee Jae-myung administration began.

Key Changes

The confirmed changes are Kim Yong-beom’s announcement of his resignation and the president’s acceptance of it.

  • August 31: Kim Yong-beom announced his resignation
  • September 1: President Lee Jae-myung accepted the resignation
  • Reported as the first replacement of a senior Presidential Office chief since the current administration began
The key point officially confirmed so far is that the resignation process proceeded through acceptance of the resignation.

Current Status

As of the time of review, the Presidential Office had not officially disclosed the specific reasons for Kim Yong-beom’s resignation. It had also not announced specific plans to appoint a successor as head of the Policy Office.

Yonhap News Agency cited market turmoil related to single-stock leveraged ETFs and worsening public opinion as possible factors behind the resignation, but this was reporting-based analysis rather than an official explanation from the Presidential Office. Therefore, these factors cannot be stated definitively as the cause of the resignation.

Impact

It has been confirmed that the head of the Presidential Office’s Policy Office has been replaced, but the successor and the direction of subsequent operations have not yet been disclosed. The following points remain to be confirmed:

  1. Whether the Presidential Office will officially explain the reasons for the resignation
  2. When the appointment of a successor will be announced
  3. Whether additional announcements will be made about policy operations following the replacement

Before the resignation, People Power Party floor leader Jeong Jeom-sik argued that Kim Yong-beom should not remain in office and that responsibility should be assigned for economic and security issues. This was a political response and did not officially confirm the cause of the resignation or any plans for personnel changes at financial authorities.

Next Update to Watch

Since only the acceptance of the resignation has been officially confirmed, the next points of interest are an announcement naming the successor and any further explanation from the Presidential Office. As of the time of review, neither had been announced in detail.

Source verification:

  • Yonhap News Agency, “Kim Yong-beom Resigns as Presidential Policy Chief…First Senior-Level Replacement 15 Months After Government Launch (Comprehensive),” checked September 1, 2026, 01:35 UTC: https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20260901034652001
  • YTN, “Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom Resigns…President Lee to Accept Resignation Today,” checked September 1, 2026, 01:35 UTC: https://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0101_202609010936206451
  • Edaily, “Presidential Office Also Pursues Renewal…But ‘Key Figure’ Kim Yong-beom Is Left Out,” checked September 1, 2026, 01:35 UTC: https://www3.edaily.co.kr/News/Read?mediaCodeNo=257&newsId=01889286645552568
  • Office of the President of the Republic of Korea, “Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom’s Briefing on the Results of the San Francisco AI Event,” checked September 1, 2026, 01:35 UTC: https://www.president.go.kr/briefings/dqpbmJE3