Kim Yong-beom, presidential chief of staff for policy, resigned on September 1, one day after expressing his intention to leave and two days after a government reshuffle. President Lee Jae Myung accepted the resignation on the same day, according to Cheong Wa Dae’s official explanation. The timing drew questions because Kim had remained in office when the reshuffle list was announced on August 30. Critics had linked him to broader policy failures involving real estate and the stock market, including severe volatility in single-stock leveraged ETF products. Cheong Wa Dae said Kim’s 15-month tenure had reached the point at which aides are typically replaced, describing the decision as a way to ensure smooth and faster policy implementation. Officials rejected the idea that the change represented a shift in policy direction and said the basic goal of real-estate price normalization remained unchanged, although public opinion would be gathered.