Kim Hyun-ji and the missing answers

It is neither sustainable nor healthy for one presidential aide to become a recurring source of political conflict.

Kim Hyun-ji, first deputy chief of staff, attends a Cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on Oct. 21. [Presidential Office Press Corps]

The National Assembly’s audit of the presidential office on Nov. 6 collapsed into chaos as the ruling and opposition parties clashed over the absence of Kim Hyun-ji, first deputy chief of staff and one of President Lee Jae Myung’s closest aides.

Tensions flared from the start when Kim did not appear, despite repeated requests from the People Power Party (PPP). Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker Chae Hyun-il accused PPP Rep. Joo Jin-woo of a conflict of interest, noting his past role as legal secretary to former President Yoon Suk Yeol. Joo fired back, claiming the DP was trying to “silence” him for raising allegations against Kim. The shouting match escalated until Committee Chair Kim Byung-ki suspended the audit. A physical confrontation was also reported between PPP Floor Leader Song Eon-seok and DP Rep. Lee Gi-heon. What was supposed to be the first major audit under the Lee administration devolved into partisan spectacle.

The standoff was predicted once Kim refused to attend the session. Last week, ruling and opposition parties had attempted to negotiate her appearance. The DP suggested she attend in the morning only, citing the president’s afternoon schedule, but the PPP rejected this. It is difficult for the public to understand why the president’s aide could not spare even a single day to answer lawmakers’ questions during a legally mandated audit.

Other top presidential aides — chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom, Senior Political Secretary Woo Sang-ho and Senior Civil Affairs Secretary Bong Uk — were all present. Only Kim Hyun-ji, despite her central role, was absent. Woo Sang-ho said last month that Kim would testify “100 percent if the Assembly votes,” and President Lee himself urged his cabinet to fully cooperate with the legislature. Yet the presidential office blocked her attendance.

The ruling party argues that the first deputy chief of staff traditionally does not testify at audits. However, Kim served as presidential secretary for general affairs until shortly before the session — a position that oversees personnel, budget and administration, and which has always participated in audits. Her sudden reassignment has fueled suspicions that it was designed to shield her from questioning.

The audit could have provided an opportunity for Kim to address public concerns. Instead, it ended with deeper mistrust. If this pattern continues, every audit may be overshadowed by disputes over her appearance. It is neither sustainable nor healthy for one presidential aide to become a recurring source of political conflict. The presidential office should allow Kim Hyun-ji to respond transparently rather than appear to be intent on hiding her from scrutiny.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.