Lee shakes up Cabinet to seek new beginning

Lee shakes up Cabinet to seek new beginning

By Na Jeong-ju President Lee Myung-bak nominated a three-term ruling party lawmaker who had pushed for reform of the media industry as the new culture minister in a wide-ranging reshuffle of the Cabinet, the presidential secretariat and major government agencies, Friday. The shakeup came amid growing signs of a division in the governing Grand National Party since the party’s former Chairwoman Rep. Park Geun-hye, arguably the biggest political rival for Lee, launched a think tank that is expected to support her bid for the next presidency, early this week. Lee’s aides have expressed concern that her activities for the election slated for December 2012 could weaken Lee’s grip on state affairs and make him an early lame duck ― he is scheduled to end his single five-year term in early 2013. “The President conducted the reshuffle to make a fresh start in the New Year,” senior presidential secretary for public relations Hong Sang-pyo told reporters. “The new lineup will be tasked to realize the vision of a fair society and seek social unity.” GNP lawmaker Choung Byoung-gug, 52, head of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, was tapped as culture minister. The panel has overseen the government’s plan to reform the media industry. The country’s broadcasting regulator on Friday selected four media consortia led by major conservative daily newspapers ― Chosun Ilbo, Dong-A Ilbo, JoongAng Ilbo and Maeil Business Newspaper ― as winning bidders for new cable television licenses. Lee also named Chung Tong-ki, 57, formerly a senior prosecutor, to lead the Board of Audit and Inspection. The position of the top auditor has remained vacant since predecessor Kim Hwang-sik became prime minister in October. Choi Joong-kyung, 54, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, was tapped as knowledge economy minister. He had long worked at the finance ministry and also served as Seoul’s ambassador to the Philippines. The nominees are subject to National Assembly confirmation hearings, which are expected to take place in a few weeks. The installment of the politician and key presidential aides into the Cabinet is widely seen as a move to tighten Lee’s grip on state affairs and improve relations with the ruling party, analysts say. Former Vice Finance Minister Kim Seok-dong, 57, was designated head of the Financial Services Commission and Kim Dong-soo, chief of Korea Exim Bank, as chairman of the Fair Trade Commission. Kim Young-ran, 54, known for her service as Korea’s first-ever female justice of the Supreme Court from 2004 to 2010, was appointed as head of the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. The heads of the three government agencies are minister-level posts. Lee also named Ahn Kwang-chan, 64, an ex-Army general, as senior presidential secretary for national crisis management, a newly created post tasked with dealing with national emergencies. Kim Young-ho, 51, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, was chosen as the new secretary for North Korean affairs and Lee Jong-hwa, 50, a professor at Korea University, as adviser for international economic policy. The GNP hailed the reshuffle, but the main opposition Democratic Party criticized Lee for giving important posts to his aides, vowing a thorough screening of the nominees’ qualifications at the parliamentary hearings. 이명박 대통령이 장관급 6명을 교체하는 개각을 단행했다. 이 대통령은 문화체육관광부 장관에 3선 한나라당 의원의원으로 미디어 정책에 전문성을 갖춘 한나라당 정병국 의원, 오랫동안 공석이었던 감사원장에 대검 차장을 지낸 법조인 출신 정동기 전 청와대 민정수석을 내정했다. 지식경제부 장관에는 재정부 차관을 지낸 정통 경제관료 출신 최중경 청와대 경제수석을 지명했다. 공정거래위원장에는 역시 재정부 차관을 지낸 김동수 수출입은행장을, 금융위원장에는 금융정책통인 김석동 전 재정경제부 차관을 내정했으며, 국민권익위원장에는 최초의 여성 대법관으로 유명한 김영란 전 대법관을 지명했다.

jj@koreatimes.co.kr