Minor cabinet reshuffle made in S.Korea

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, December 29, 2003

Minor cabinet reshuffle made in S.Korea

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun made a minor reshuffle of his cabinet on Sunday with replacement of three ministers.

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South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun made a minor reshuffle of his cabinet on Sunday with replacement of three ministers.

Kang Dong-suk, president of the (South) Korea Electric Power Corp., was appointed as new construction and transportation minister, replacing Choi Jong-chan, announced Jeong Chan-yong, senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs, on Sunday.

Ajou University President Oh Myung was named new head of the Ministry of Science and Technology, replacing Park Ho-goon.

Kim Byung-il, member of the Bank of Korea's Monetary Board, wasnamed to replace Park Bong-heum as planning and budget minister, Jeong said.

Park Bong-heum was promoted by the president to the post of presidential secretary for information and policy monitoring. The post had been vacant since late October when Lee Kwang-jae resigned over a corruption scandal.

But Park will retain his current post until the National Assembly passes the budget bill for next year, added Jeong.

The South Korean unicameral parliament has not passed the budget bill for 2004 as political parties are clashing over other issues, delaying the action over the budget bill.

Prime Minister Goh Kun and other important figures in Roh's administration were retained in the cabinet reshuffle.

Jeong said Lee Joung-woo, the head of the Blue House's Policy Bureau, will become chairman of the presidential advisory group ofthe Policy Planning Committee.

Jeong also introduced some backgrounds of the three new ministers in the press conference.

As for Kang Dong-suk, Jeong praised his ethical management and reforms of unreasonable business practices by the electricity firm.

"We hope Kang will be able to pursue balanced development of land, reform of the national railway system and construction of the new administrative capital," he said.

"Oh Myung should be the ideal person to smoothly pursue the task of establishing a system of national science and technology renovation, which encompasses developing next-generation industries, training science and technology manpower, evaluating research and development activities and distributing resources," Jeong said.

Regarding the incoming planning and budget minister, Jeong said,"Kim Byung-il, who has spent most of his career in the budget and macroeconomic policy sectors, should be able to help government ministries pursue their respective projects from a national perspective."

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