Kwon Roh-kap Expected to Become Special Presidential Advisor

President Kim Dae-jung is likely to appoint Kwon Roh-kap, presently a senior aide in the Millennium Democratic Party(MDP), as his presidential 'Special Advisor' on politics.

A source close to the party commented that in order to improve their relationships with the opposition parties as well as ensure their possession of the president's office after President Kim's retirement, Kwon is the "best bet as the advisor to the President. He will most likely become a minister-level advisor at the end of this month or early next month after the MDP's re-shuffling of the party".

Kwon, a key-member of the ruling party and closest advisor to the President, did not run in the recent national elections to avoid any intra-party criticism over what would definitely have become a thorny issue if he had received nomination from his party.

by Kim Suk-hyun