Lee Appoints Tax Agency Chief Lim Kwang-hyun as Presidential Chief of Staff

President Lee Jae Myung appointed National Tax Service chief Lim Kwang-hyun as his new presidential chief of staff on Wednesday, bringing an experienced tax administrator and former ruling-party lawmaker into the top coordinating role at Cheong Wa Dae.

Outgoing chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik announced Lim’s appointment at a press briefing in Seoul. Kang had offered to resign several weeks earlier as the administration faced falling presidential approval ratings and controversy over the qualifications of two Cabinet nominees. Both nominees ultimately withdrew.

Kang described Lim as a former economic official who had moved into politics and possessed both extensive administrative experience and political judgment. He said Lim’s work in the National Assembly and the government made him well suited to bring a wider range of public views into the conduct of state affairs. Kang also pointed to the need for cooperation among the ruling party, the government and the presidential office as the administration seeks to accelerate policy results.

Lim spent much of his career in a series of posts at the National Tax Service before entering electoral politics. He won a proportional-representation seat in the National Assembly in 2024 as a member of the ruling Democratic Party. His time as a lawmaker ended when he gave up the parliamentary seat to become head of the tax agency in 2025. The latest appointment now places him at the center of the presidential office’s day-to-day management and policy coordination.

Appearing alongside Kang after the announcement, Lim said he viewed the position as a responsibility to build on the administration’s work and turn it into changes that people could feel in their daily lives. He pledged to oversee the presidential office’s overall work and focus his efforts on improving livelihoods.

The transition gives President Lee a new senior aide at a politically sensitive point for the administration. Lim’s combination of bureaucratic and legislative experience is expected to shape how the presidential office works with ministries and the ruling party, while his tax-policy background adds economic administration experience to the president’s immediate team. His performance will be closely watched as Cheong Wa Dae seeks to steady its operations and demonstrate concrete progress after the recent personnel controversies.