Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok told President Lee Jae-myung not to confirm John Linton as chairman of the Korean Red Cross, conveying the position at a separate meeting after a dinner with the president on the 25th.
Chief Spokesperson Park Sung-joon relayed the remarks to reporters on the 26th following an on-site Supreme Council meeting held in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. "After yesterday's dinner, the party leader met separately with President Lee," Park said, adding that Kim had conveyed that it would be better not to appoint Linton after gathering opinions inside and outside the party.
According to the "August 2026 review of post-retirement employment for former public officials," released by the National Assembly the previous day, the National Assembly Public Service Ethics Committee cleared Linton, a former lawmaker, to take the Red Cross chairmanship. That left only President Lee's confirmation before Linton could take office.
Linton was elected as the Red Cross's new chairman in June but had drawn controversy for opposing the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol. After his election, Linton said he "regretted and reflected on not having stepped forward publicly and actively to oppose the martial law" during the martial law episode.
Kim also carried out additional appointments of political party officials that day. Rep. Son Myung-soo of the Democratic Party was named spokesperson; former Rep. Park Kyung-mi and former spokesperson Yeom Seung-yeol as international spokespersons; Rep. Kim Joo-young as head of the external cooperation committee; former center head Jang Yoon-kyung as head of the gender violence reporting and counseling center; and Rep. Kim Yong-man as head of the Democratic Response Center.
Kim Min-seok will personally serve as chair of the talent recruitment committee. Rep. Park Jung was named chair of the diplomacy, security and unification advisory council; Rep. Hong Ki-won as chair of the international committee; Rep. Yoon Hu-duk as chair of the national vocational representatives council; and Rep. Park Yong-gap as chair of the finance committee.
