Han Dong-hoon, left, leader of the ruling People Power Party, speaks during a Supreme Council meeting at Ganghwa Culture Center in Incheon, west of Seoul, Oct. 10. Yonhap

The leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Saturday stressed the need for a personnel overhaul of the presidential office to address public concerns over controversies surrounding the first lady.

PPP leader Han Dong-hoon's remark comes ahead of his anticipated one-on-one meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol, set to be held after the regional by-elections Wednesday.

"I believe the presidential office needs a reshuffle of its personnel to assuage concerns and worries about first lady Kim Keon Hee," Han told reporters during a by-election campaign in Busan, when asked about allegations that a secretive confidante to Kim had meddled in state affairs.

It is considered rare for a ruling party leader to publicly raise such an issue involving the personnel reshuffle of the presidential office.

The allegations involve Myung Tae-kyun, a shadowy figure who ran a public opinion polling agency, using his connection with Yoon and the first lady to get former PPP lawmaker Kim Young-sun nominated for a by-election in Changwon and Uichang, South Gyeongsang Province, in 2022.

The first lady has also been accused of interfering with the PPP's candidate nominations for last April's elections through Myung.

Han had been considered one of Yoon's closest confidants during their time as prosecutors, but their relationship has soured due mostly to differences over how to handle Kim's acceptance of a luxury handbag and other sensitive issues.

Earlier this month, Han called on the prosecution to come up with a decision "acceptable to the people" in its investigation into stock manipulation allegations involving the first lady.

On Thursday, Han also said for the first time Kim should refrain from carrying out public activities. (Yonhap)