South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is reportedly considering the replacement of Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, according to an exclusive from Dong-a Ilbo newspaper. The report suggests Yoon may be eyeing Shin Won-sik, a People Power Party lawmaker and a National Assembly’s National Defense Committee member, as Lee’s successor. Shin, a former army officer, once held the position of South Korea’s Deputy Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While the possible replacement made headlines in South Korea on Tuesday, the government has not confirmed nor denied such reports. Shin on Tuesday maintained a cautious approach, stating he has not received such communication from the presidential office.

Amid these speculations, the presidential office confirmed its intention to potentially replace two other key defense officials: Lim Jong-deuk, the deputy national security adviser responsible for defense and security matters, and Lim Ki-hoon, the presidential secretary for national defense. This announcement is expected as early as mid-September. However, the presidential office clarified that this decision is not connected to the controversy surrounding the death of a marine during flood victim search operations in July or the related internal probe.