President Lee Jae-myung nominates Kim Sang-hwan as Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court and Oh Yong-jun as Constitutional Justice, and carries out appointments at the vice-minister level.

High-level personnel of President Lee Jae-myung

In June 2025, President Lee Jae-myung's first high-level appointments since taking office were not merely acts of filling positions. This reshuffle, which included the leadership change of constitutional bodies such as the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, as well as the appointment of the Commissioner of the National Tax Service and vice-ministerial level positions in five departments, embodies the government's clear will to launch two pillars of state operation in South Korea—the restoration of constitutional order and the strengthening of practical administration. This appointment serves as a litmus test for gauging the philosophy and standards by which the government intends to structure its policies, as well as an institutional signal marking the beginning of this endeavor.

Reorganization of Constitutional Institutions

The most notable change is the appointment of former Supreme Court Justice Kim Sang-hwan as the President of the Constitutional Court. The appointee, Kim, has a distinguished record in both legal expertise and constitutional philosophy, having served as a constitutional researcher and a Supreme Court Justice. His rulings during his tenure as a Supreme Court Justice are assessed as practical applications of constitutional values, particularly regarding the enhancement of freedom of expression and the oversight of power abuses. Along with him, Chief Judge Oh Young-jun, who has been appointed as a judge, is known for his meticulous drafting of judgments and logical structuring, having a background grounded in practical legal experience, including roles as a research officer in the Supreme Court. The combination of these two figures, representing symbolism and drive respectively, is expected to serve as a force that can help the Constitutional Court overcome the trust crisis it has undergone and reestablish itself as a balanced national institution.

Exclusion as a Political Signal

The fact that attorney Lee Seung-yeop, who was initially included in the list of candidates for constitutional judges, was excluded from the final list shows that this appointment reflects concerns about political acceptability and fairness, beyond just experience and skill. He faced strong opposition from the opposition party due to his history of defending President Lee Jae-myung in a past trial, and as a result, the presidential office decided to withdraw his appointment in a manner that appeared to be voluntary. This serves as an example of the reality that political considerations are inevitably intertwined with expertise in high-ranking public appointments and suggests that future appointments should be conducted with a focus on both caution and legitimacy.

Appointment of Deputy Ministers

Another significant aspect of this appointment is the announcement of six vice-ministerial level individuals. This personnel change, which includes the Commissioner of the National Tax Service, features a number of experts with ample practical experience, illustrating President Lee Jae-myung's vision for a 'working government.' ▪ Lim Kwang-hyun - Nominee for Commissioner of the National Tax Service He is a current member of the National Assembly and a tax administration expert who has served as the head of the Seoul Regional Tax Office and the Deputy Commissioner of the National Tax Service. It is an unusual case to have a former lawmaker appointed as the Commissioner, and it is expected to enable a more persuasive tax administration through a perspective that encompasses both legislation and administration. Given that this position requires a confirmation hearing, there is a task to demonstrate both political persuasion and policy vision. ▪ Lee Doo-hee - Vice Minister of National Defense He is a former commander of the Army Missile Strategy Command with extensive experience in field command and military policy. The presidential office explained that the nomination of Lee Doo-hee focuses on the integration of AI and advanced technology with national defense capabilities, as well as strengthening deterrence based on the Korea-U.S. alliance. ▪ Lee Se-ran - First Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Lee Se-ran, who has served as the Director of Pension Finance and the Director of Social Welfare Policy, is considered an appropriate person for pension reform to respond to aging. Based on a broad experience in the healthcare and welfare sectors, she is expected to contribute to establishing a solid foundation for a welfare state. ▪ Geum Han-seung - Vice Minister of Environment A veteran who has dealt with environmental policies for over 30 years, he has served as the head of the Climate Carbon Policy Office and the president of the National Institute of Environmental Research. He is seen as a technocrat capable of translating the urgent tasks of carbon neutrality and climate crisis response into practical policies. ▪ Kwon Chang-jun - Vice Minister of Employment and Labor He has distinguished himself both in field administration and future employment design, having served as the head of the Planning and Coordination Office and as the Director of Youth Employment Policy. He is recognized for implementing proactive administration, such as the establishment of the Future of Labor Forum and improving interview survey systems. ▪ Nam Dong-il - Deputy Chairman of the Fair Trade Commission He has built expertise and experience in the fair trade sector through various positions, including Director of Consumer Policy, spokesperson, and head of the Secretariat. He is expected to play a key role in managing the new market order fairly in the era of platform economy.

The direction and meaning that this greeting conveys

Looking at the personnel appointed by President Lee Jae-myung, it becomes clear that rather than leaning toward a specific ideology, there is an emphasis on 'function-centered administration' based on expertise and execution capability. In the appointments to constitutional institutions, there is a focus on restoring judicial authority and independence, while in executive personnel, there is an emphasis on the capacity for policy implementation based on practical experience. This conveys a dual message of simultaneously operating the two central axes of national governance—restoration of values and enhanced practicality—demonstrating the government's philosophy in a declarative manner.

Conclusion: The Change Started, to be Proven in National Affairs

This appointment is the first step in visually demonstrating how the Lee Jae-myung administration perceives national affairs and with whom it intends to lead. The remaining tasks are to mediate political conflicts during the approval process and to ensure that these appointments translate into actual policy outcomes by concurrently transforming practical capabilities and organizational culture. The work of rebuilding the pillars of constitutional governance that had collapsed and filling the muscles of administration with pragmatism and expertise. This appointment, faced with dual tasks, was not merely a change of positions but an attempt to redesign the very structure of politics and administration. Whether this change will lead to tangible trust and results will be shown in the time ahead.