청와대 위세가 얼마나 등등했으면 5급 행정관이 김 총장을 호출하느냐는 비판이 제기되자 김의겸 청와대 대변인은 “행정관이 참모총장을 못 만날 이유는 없다"고 말했다.
When the criticism was raised that a fifth-grade administration official dared to call Chief of Staff Kim as the status of the Blue House was so mighty, the Blue House Spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said, "There's no reason that the administration official cannot meet with the Chief of Staff."