Yoo Jae-suk, regarding the mention of him as a candidate for Minister, said, “It's not something anyone can do… I hope there are no misunderstandings.”

Following the introduction of the ‘public recommendation system,’ comedian Yoo Jae-suk was mentioned as a candidate for Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and he himself provided a cheerful clarification.

On the 29th, during the SBS entertainment program ‘Running Man,’ a conversation he had with the members about the recent buzz surrounding the ‘Minister recommendation theory’ was broadcast.

On that day, the members were surprised and mentioned, “I saw in the news that Yoo Jae-suk was recommended for Minister,” and joked, “If this continues, a real Minister might appear. Please take care of us,” eliciting laughter.

In response, Haha joked, “This starts here and goes straight to the presidency. I should prepare to be the head of Mapo District,” while Yoo Jae-suk waved his hand and politely clarified, “It's not something anyone can do. I hope there are no misunderstandings.” However, the members expressed their endless affection for Yoo Jae-suk, asking, “Why isn’t it anyone?”

Previously, the Lee Jae-myung administration introduced the ‘public recommendation system’ to expand citizen participation, moving away from the existing personnel method. From the first day, there was considerable interest with over 10,000 recommendations, and popular figures such as singer IU, director Bong Joon-ho, and comedian Yoo Jae-suk were named, attracting attention. While some interpreted this as a satirical recommendation, others analyzed it as a signal that the public has begun to show interest in personnel policies.

Recommended individuals will be databased, then undergo verification and public verification procedures through the Office of the Chief Secretary for Public Service Discipline at the presidential office. The government aims to strengthen a citizen-participation-based personnel policy, moving away from existing practices.

Meanwhile, on that day’s broadcast, when it was Ji Suk-jin, not Yoo Jae-suk, who took on the water balloon delivery mission, Yoo Jae-suk jokingly said, “I need to come out for the ratings to go up,” and Ji Suk-jin replied, “Then you should play the role of a commentator,” showcasing their banter.

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