South Korean presidents have repeatedly changed how they screen Cabinet nominees following appointment scandals, with President Lee Jae Myung’s latest personnel shake-up adding another chapter to that history.

Five Cabinet nominations have collapsed during Lee’s first 16 months in office, prompting fresh scrutiny of the Blue House’s screening procedures. On Wednesday, Lee named National Tax Service chief Lim Kwang-hyun as his new chief of staff, replacing Kang Hoon-sik, who offered to resign in September amid criticism of the administration’s personnel decisions.

Since parliamentary confirmation hearings were extended to Cabinet ministers in 2005, successive governments have expanded background questionnaires, established