Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum has ruled out the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle in the final months of the current administration amid rumors some Cabinet members could quit to run in next year's local elections.

"It makes no sense," Kim said during his press meeting Monday in the central city of Sejong. "There are only six months left of this government's term, so how can we do a reshuffle?"

Rumors have been circulating recently that Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki may run for Gangwon Province governor, while Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae is looking at the gubernatorial post of Gyeonggi Province in the local elections slated for June 2022.

Kim also strongly denied rumors of him replacing Lee Jae-myung as the ruling Democratic Party's presidential nominee in the March presidential election if the candidate drops out of the race, saying it would be an "insult" to people. (Yonhap)