Former SNU president named as prime minister
Published: 03 Sep. 2009, 15:34
Chung Un-chan, former Seoul National University president
Three incumbent lawmakers of the Grand National Party joined Lee's 17-member cabinet, including the minister without portfolio which had left vacant until today since the launch of the administration.
Chung, a 63-year-old native of South Chungcheong, was selected for his organizational skills, abilities to maintain harmony and global network, the Blue House said. "The president believes in Chung's leadership of engagement and reconciliation in order to push forward major agendas of the government," the press release said.
Chung, one of the most celebrated economists of the country, has been critical of the Lee administration's economic policies. Perhaps a preemptive move to counter public disparagement that Chung's opposition to Lee's massive construction plan to restore the nation's four major rivers, the Blue House said anticipations are high for Chung's constructive criticism.
"In the past, Chung presented constructive advice and alternatives about the Lee government's policies. His experience will allow him to more effectively assist the president and oversee the cabinet and to productively push forward centrist pragmatism and people-friendly policies," the Blue House said.
Chung will face a confirmation hearing at the National Assembly at a later date.
Lee Kwi-nam, former vice minister of justice, was named Lee's new justice minister designate. The 58-year-old South Jeolla native passed the bar in 1980 and has worked as a prosecutor throughout his career. He headed the Daegu High Prosecutors Office from March 2008 to Jan. 2009 and served as the vice justice minister until July this year.
Lee, along with three other senior prosecutors, quit their posts in July following Lee's decision to nominate Chun Sung-gwan as the new prosecutor-general. The four including Lee received legal training at the same time as Chun, and left the hierarchal world of prosecutors to make way for a younger person. Chun’s nomination, however, was withdrawn over corruption allegations were revealed at the National Assembly confirmation hearings.
Lee's appointment was also seen as a surprise because he is one year junior to the newly appointed prosecutor-general Kim Joon-gyu.
Kim Tae-young, the incumbent chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was named the defense minister designate.
GNP Representative Choi Kyung-hwan was named the Knowledge Economy minister designate based on his experiences as an economic expert. Choi worked as a public servant and an editorial writer for the Korea Economic Daily until he was elected a lawmaker in 2004. Representing Gyeongsan and Cheongdo in North Gyeongsang, he was reelected for the second term last year.
Choi is known as a loyalist to Park Geun-hye, a political heavyweight who lost the GNP's presidential candidacy to President Lee Myung-bak in the primary. By including a pro-Park lawmaker in his cabinet, President Lee appears to be trying to mend the rupture between the pro-Park and pro-Lee factions.
According to the Blue House, Choi’s expertise in economic policy coordination was a key factor. "Choi also has a deep understanding about the energy and IT industries, the growth engine of the country, and the president expects him to push forward his green growth strategy," the Blue House said.
Another GNP lawmaker, Joo Ho-young, was named as the minister without portfolio, filling up a post vacant since the launch of the administration. The 49-year-old two-term lawmaker once served as the party's spokesman and deputy floor leader, and the Blue House said he was trusted by both ruling and opposition parties. "By cooperating with the senior political affairs secretary, Joo is expected to play a role as the bridge between the GNP, administration and the Blue House," the press release said.
Representative Yim Tae-hee, a three-term lawmaker of the GNP, was named the labor minister designate. After 20 years as a financial public servant, Yim was elected as a lawmaker in 2000. He also headed the Yeouido Institute, a conservative think tank.
Paik Hee-young, a professor for food and nutrition at Seoul National University, was named the new minister of gender equality designate. According to the Blue House, Paik, the former head of the Korean Home Economies Association, possesses pragmatic leadership skills and is the best candidate to redefine the values and roles of gender equality, family and home to meet global standards.
President Lee’s new Cabinet is much younger than his last. The average age of the cabinet members is now 59, compared to 62.4 before.
Han Seung-soo, the predecessor of the Prime Minister-designate Chung, is 73, and five ministers replaced yesterday were all in their 60s.
While Chung, the new prime minister designate, is 63 years old, the five newly replaced ministers are all in their 50s. Joo, the designate of the minister without portfolio, is 49 years old, the youngest member of the cabinet.
According to the Blue House, the new cabinet members include four from Gyeonggi and Incheon, up from one from the previous cabinet. Four are Jeolla natives, up from three. The number of ministers from Gyeongsang, Chungcheong and Jeju remained five, three and one respectively.
The Blue House said seven ministers are Seoul National University graduates and three are graduates of Korea University, the alma mater of President Lee.
By Ser Myo-ja [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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