Fisheries minister to run home affairs

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Huh Sung-kwan, 56, will replace Kim Doo-gwan as the new minister of government administration and home affairs, the Blue House said yesterday.
The Assembly recommended President Roh Moo-hyun oust Mr. Kim after it held him responsible for failing to prevent student members of the radical Hanchongryun movement from attacking a U.S. firing range, as well as the headquarters of the opposition Grand National Party in Seoul on Aug. 7.
Mr. Kim is expected to work with and brief Mr. Huh for a month before he officially steps down.
Choi Lark-jung, 50, the deputy minister of maritime affairs and fisheries, will fill Mr. Huh’s old position.
After initially refusing to resign following a National Assembly vote of no-confidence in him last month, Mr. Kim announced his intention to quit. The president also dropped his support for Mr. Kim.
“We will not accept Mr. Kim’s resignation until relief work from Typhoon Maemi is finished, but he will transfer his duties to Minister-designate Huh,” said Jeong Chan-yong, the presidential adviser for personnel affairs.
Mr. Jeong said the move to have Mr. Kim work with Mr. Huh was part of a new crossover system to be applied whenever large-scale political shifts were made.
Mr. Huh will step down from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry today.
“Mr. Huh is expected to acquaint himself with the work of his new ministry [over the next month],” said Blue House spokesman, Yoon Tai-young.
Asked if Government Administration Ministry officials would report to Mr. Kim concerning the ongoing typhoon relief work, the presidential adviser replied: “The president has gone through a transition period; cabinet ministers should do the same.”
Sources at the Blue House said the temporary Kim-Huh system was prompted by President Roh’s insistence Mr. Kim finish up the disaster relief work, although he had already handed in his resignation.

by Choi Hoon