President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed newly appointed vice ministers Monday to "ruthlessly" fight against "cartels with vested interests," his spokesperson said, referring to corruption among public officials.

Yoon gave the instruction during lunch with 13 new vice minister-level officials after presenting them with certificates of appointment, according to Lee Do-woon.

"Fight ruthlessly against cartels with vested interests," Yoon was quoted as saying, repeating a mission he gave to several presidential secretaries last week after they were nominated as vice ministers.

"Our government is an anti-cartel government," he said. "What topples a democratic society from the outside is totalitarianism and socialism, but what topples it from the inside is corrupt cartels."

Yoon called on the new vice ministers to be loyal to the spirit of the Constitution, saying both domestic and foreign affairs should be conducted in the spirit of the liberal democratic Constitution.

"Be loyal to the state, the nation and the constitutional system," he said. "I am not saying you should switch horses, but that you should ride your horses properly in the spirit of the Constitution."

Yoon further asked the vice ministers to carry out accurate assessments of public officials' work performances, saying personnel evaluations are the most important part of any government or business organization.

The new vice ministers include Jang Mi-ran, an Olympic weightlifting gold medalist, who was appointed second vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Second Vice Foreign Minister Oh Young-ju and Vice Unification Minister Moon Seoung-hyun. (Yonhap)