The presidential office said on the 26th that it will review a request from Democratic Party leader Kim Min-seok that Inn Yo-han not be appointed as head of the Korean Red Cross. "The recommendation has been conveyed to the presidential office and will be reviewed," an official said.
The official relayed the message through a notice to the press. Kim is understood to have met separately with President Lee Jae-myung after a dinner at the presidential office the previous day to convey views from within and outside the party on the confirmation of Inn.
Park Sung-joon, the Democratic Party's chief spokesperson, told reporters after an on-site supreme council meeting in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, that "after the dinner at the presidential office yesterday, the party leader had time separately with President Lee." According to Park, Kim told the president that "there has been talk about the appointment of Chairman Inn, and after gathering extensive views from inside and outside the party, it would be better not to make the appointment."
Asked whether the president had responded, Park said Kim "only conveyed the results of gathering views from inside and outside the party." The presidential office confirmed that Kim's recommendation had been delivered and said it would review whether to approve the confirmation.
Inn, a former lawmaker, was elected chairman on June 22 by a resolution of the Korean Red Cross central committee. Under the law governing the organization, he can carry out his duties as chairman once President Lee, who serves as honorary chairman, approves the appointment. The former lawmaker drew continued controversy after his election because he had opposed the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol while serving as a lawmaker for the People Power Party.
