Ministry's Revolving Door Shuffles in a Familiar Face

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Ministry's Revolving Door Shuffles in a Familiar Face

Sensitive to criticism that the Ministry of Construction and Transportation has had too many ministers without relevant experience, President Kim Dae-jung has named a former transportation minister, Lim In-taik, to take on the job again.

The appointment came during the holidays, on Sunday. Mr. Lim, 61, will replace Ahn Jung-nam, who resigned citing health reasons last week after questions were raised about the sources of his wealth.

Mr. Lim, who serves as head of Korea Aerospace Industries, hails from Suncheon, South Cholla province. He is the fifth transportation minister so far this year, and the seventh of the Kim Dae-jung administration. The chaotic turnover is one factor that was blamed for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's finding that Korea's air safety record is unsatisfactory.

The Blue House stressed Mr. Lim's qualifications for the job. "The newly named minister is a career bureaucrat who has served as deputy minister of commerce, industry and energy and as transportation minister," said Oh Hong-keun, a spokesman. "He is the right man with his extensive experience in transportation issues and is known for his tolerance and people skills."

He was transport minister in the administration of Roh Tae-woo.

His predecessor, Mr. Ahn, spent about three weeks on the job. His Sept. 7 appointment was considered a reward by the president for overseeing the National Tax Service's tax audit into national media companies.



by Kim Jin-kook

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