President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, and Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party, hold a meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, Oct. 21, in this photo provided by Yoon's office. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol has said he would consider appropriate measures if ruling party leader Han Dong-hoon tells him "who is causing what problems," an official said Tuesday, amid criticism over presidential officials close to first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Yoon made the remark during a meeting with Han of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Monday, where Han raised concerns about the first lady's public activities and urged a personnel shake-up to assuage controversies that Kim has a coterie of officials influencing state affairs.

"If you provide specific information on who is causing problems and how, I will review the details and determine whether to take action," Yoon was quoted as saying by a senior presidential official Tuesday.

At the meeting, Han reportedly mentioned the names of eight officials in the presidential office who inappropriately meddled in state affairs and explained their acts of misconduct.

In a radio interview with MBC, pro-Han lawmaker Park Jeong-hun said Han spoke extensively about the need for a personnel reshuffle, though Yoon appeared to not be aware of any issue with the aides communicating with the president and the first lady.

During the meeting, accompanied by the presidential chief of staff Chung Jin-suk, Han also recommended the appointment of a special inspector to look into allegations involving the first lady.

Regarding the request for the first lady to reduce her public engagements, Yoon explained that Kim is already scaling back her activities as she is "very exhausted and struggling."

"She is already refraining from external activities. Unless it's absolutely necessary, she won't engage in many external activities," Yoon was quoted as saying.

On the issue of cooperating with investigations into the allegations involving the first lady, Yoon indicated that the ongoing prosecution investigation should be awaited before drawing conclusions, according to the official.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and Han Dong-hoon, leader of the ruling People Power Party, meet at the presidential office in Seoul, Oct. 21, in this photo provided by Yoon's office. Yonhap

Regarding the lack of an appointment of a special inspector, Yoon said it is a matter that should be resolved through an agreement between the ruling and opposition parties, according to officials.

According to the law, the National Assembly is required to recommend three candidates for a special inspector, from which the president appoints one.

The appointment of a special inspector is seen as a way to address public concerns over the first lady, as the the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has reintroduced a bill calling for a special counsel investigation into the allegations surrounding Kim.

The first lady has been accused of involvement in a stock manipulation scheme, an illegal receipt of a luxury bag and interference in the PPP's candidate nominations ahead of the April general elections.

Last week, the DPK passed the special counsel probe bill in protest of the prosecution's decision not to indict Kim over her alleged involvement in a stock manipulation scheme involving Deutsch Motors Inc. between 2009 and 2012.

The new bill expands the scope of the proposed investigation to include recent allegations that Kim solicited the help of Myung Tae-kyun, a self-proclaimed political broker, to conduct public opinion surveys favorable to her husband ahead of the 2022 presidential election.

During the talks, Yoon expressed gratitude to PPP lawmakers for blocking the DPK-led special counsel probe bill, which was recently reintroduced after he vetoed it for a second time, according to presidential officials.

In regard to controversies surrounding Myung, Yoon explained Myung had provided advice during the PPP's 2022 presidential primary, but that their relationship was cut off midway. He added that his wife, however, may have maintained contact with Myung, according to officials.

Their meeting comes amid a growing sense of a crisis within the ruling party as the DPK intensifies its political offensive against Yoon.

With his single five-year term at its midpoint, some DPK lawmakers have even raised the possibility of impeaching Yoon over allegations surrounding the first lady. (Yonhap)