Roh pledges to explain future appointments

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Roh pledges to explain future appointments

President-elect Roh Moo-hyun said yesterday he would explain his reasons for future appointments of government personnel. The announcement came amid controversy triggered by recent working-level appointments to the presidential transition committee.

On Friday, the committee named Rhee Jong-ho, a professor at Pukyong National University, to handle committee operations. Mr. Rhee is a brother-in-law of one of Mr. Roh's close aides. The niece of the president-elect's wife, Kwon Yang-sook, was also named as a committee clerical worker. The niece was only identified by her surname, Lee. Some Millennium Democratic Party officials criticized the appointments, saying the two had not been thoroughly scrutinized. Both worked at the local level in Mr. Roh's election campaign.

Yesterday Mr. Roh defended the decisions. He said that Mr. Rhee and Ms. Lee's specialties and contributions to Mr. Roh's election victory have been thoroughly inspected. "Mr. Rhee provided great help by rallying support among university professors," said Mr. Roh. "I am only sorry for not naming him to a higher position."

Jung Soon-kyun, the transition committee spokesman, said Ms. Kwon wants to use her niece as her secretary after she enters the Blue House. It was a favor to let her get acquainted with transition committee workers and learn the kinds of tasks that will be required of her. Mr. Jung said the committee could disclose personnel evaluation records of the two persons.

The transition committee said it is a common practice in many countries to bring long-time advisers or allies into a new administration.

The Grand National Party characterized the appointments as cronyism. Kim Young-iel, the GNP secretary-general, said that Mr. Roh filled his transition committee with unverified personnel and appointed mostly close aides to working-level positions.



by Kang Min-seok

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