A power shift in Roh administration

The core power elite of the Roh Moo-hyun administration is composed of very few people, and powerful positions in past governments have been downgraded, making way for new positions.
The core appears to largely consist of the Blue House secretaries whom the president contacts frequently.
Observers say such Blue House members as Moon Hee-sang, chief of staff, Yoo Inh-tae, senior secretary for political affairs, and Moon Jae-in, senior secretary for civil affairs, are central figures of the Roh administration. They also belong to the personnel appointment committee for high-ranking civil officials.
Mr. Roh will not directly receive reports from the police or the National Intelligence Service, a change from the practice of past administrations.
Under the Roh administration, Mr. Yoo and Moon Hee-sang have been mandated to receive those reports, which means they are highly trusted by Mr. Roh. Moo Jae-in is also seemingly greatly trusted by Mr. Roh. He is slated to give final verification of the administration’s personnel appointments.
Critics say power appears to be concentrated on a couple of people in the Blue House. But Moon Hee-sang dismissed such criticism, saying, “The Blue House chief of staff previously controlled almost all personnel appointments, but it is not like that anymore. It is Mr. Roh’s ideal to decentralize power.”
Observers say such positions as the heads of the National Intelligence Service, National Tax Service, and the National Police Agency will experience a great reduction in power. People who held those positions had been very close to past presidents, but the Roh administration plans to reduce such contact.
Additionally, if the prosecutor general is given the right to investigate without influence from the Ministry of Justice, the prosecution will gain power under the new system.

by Choi Hoon