South Korea withdraws appointment of Lee Hye-hoon as budget minister


  • World
  • Sunday, 25 Jan 2026

SEOUL, Jan ‌25 (Reuters) - South Korean ‌President Lee Jae Myung has ‌withdrawn his appointment of Lee Hye-hoon as the newly created ‍budget ministry chief, ‍Woo Sang-ho, ‌a presidential secretary said in ‍a ​televised address on Sunday.

The nomination ⁠of the former three-time conservative party ‌lawmaker was initially interpreted as ⁠an ‍attempt by the liberal president to integrate the ‍nation's politics, but Lee ‌Hye-hoon has been facing pressure to step down amid allegations of abusive remarks to colleagues and controversial property investments.

She apologised for ‌her past remarks to colleagues during a hearing by ​lawmakers on Friday.

(Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by William Mallard)

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