Lee weighs Kang Hoon-sik, Jeong Seong-ho for next prime minister

President Lee Jae Myung is in the final stages of deliberating between Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik and Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho as his next prime minister, replacing Kim Min-seok, according to political sources.

The ruling party's victory in the June 3 local elections has given the administration momentum heading into its second year, but the loss of the Seoul mayoral race has added a complicating factor — prompting the president to search carefully for someone who can recalibrate the direction of governance.

Lee is expected to name a prime minister nominee around this weekend, political sources said Thursday. Kim is expected to announce his resignation soon to run for Democratic Party leader at the party's national convention.

Kang and Jeong have emerged as the leading candidates for the post.

Lee recently met separately with both men to gauge their willingness to take the role, sources said.

The two candidates are seen as bringing distinct strengths to the table. Kang has served as the inaugural presidential chief of staff under the Lee administration, working closely alongside the president from the outset.

He is credited with playing a central role in helping the administration quickly establish a functioning governance structure after it launched without a presidential transition committee, following the emergency martial law declaration and the presidential impeachment.

Kang is regarded as more than a conventional chief of staff — he is seen as a hands-on operator. As the president's special envoy for strategic economic cooperation, he has directly handled issues spanning defense, energy, natural resources, supply chains and advanced industries. He has also taken a prominent role in overseas trips and economic diplomacy in support of the government's strategic projects.

Jeong, a five-term Democratic Party lawmaker, is one of Lee's closest political allies and is widely regarded as the standard-bearer of the pro-Lee faction within the party. The two were classmates in the 18th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute and are said to have maintained a political partnership spanning nearly two decades.

Since the administration took office, Jeong has led the push for prosecutorial reform, one of Lee's core policy priorities.

He is also highly regarded for his ability to communicate across party lines — drawing on a broad network within the National Assembly and considerable political stature to bridge the ruling party, the government, Cheong Wa Dae and the opposition. Political circles say Jeong understands Lee's governing philosophy better than almost anyone and is well positioned to coordinate across ministries and foster bipartisan cooperation.

Political observers say the final choice may hinge on whether Lee wants to push reform aggressively in his second year or prioritize stable governance and cross-party cooperation.

Kang's edge lies in his ability to resolve pressing issues and drive implementation, while Jeong's strength is seen as political mediation and coordination.

Alongside the prime minister appointment, a cabinet reshuffle covering roughly four ministries — including health and welfare, foreign affairs, land and transport, and culture, sports and tourism — is also expected. If Jeong is named prime minister, the justice minister post would be added to the reshuffle as well.

Attention is also turning to a possible reorganization of the presidential staff. Several senior aides ran in the local elections, leaving a number of positions vacant for months.

The departure of former spokespersons Kim Nam-jun and Jeon Eun-su to run in the elections has left Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung as the sole spokesperson for an extended period, and a new spokesperson is expected to be appointed soon. The seat vacated by former AI Future Planning Senior Secretary Ha Jung-woo, who also ran in the elections, is another position to watch — Kim Woo-chang, the national AI policy secretary, has been mentioned as a potential successor.

The scale of replacements at the senior secretary level is also drawing scrutiny. Political circles expect at least three of the seven senior secretaries — excluding the AI senior secretary post — to be replaced. Some aides have already informally signaled their intention to return to their previous posts. Whether the national security office and the foreign and security policy line will also be reshuffled remains another point of interest.

At a senior secretaries' meeting he chaired Thursday, Lee reiterated his determination to accelerate governance in his second year. Analysts say the staff reorganization expected to follow the local elections is likely to reflect that drive for renewal — a move interpreted as the president's intent to generate fresh momentum by, as the saying goes, switching to a new horse.