President Roh Moo-hyun carried out a partial Cabinet reshuffle on Monday, appointing his chief national policy secretary Kwon O-kyu as new minister of finance and economy, Roh's office Cheong Wa Dae said.
The 54-year-old Kwon, who has worked out key policy road maps for the Roh government after serving at key posts of the Finance Ministry, will succeed Han Duck-soo who offered to resign last week.
The president also appointed Kim Byong-joon, who left Cheong Wa Dae in late May after serving as chief presidential secretary for national policy, as new education minister, said the office.
The 52-year-old Kim, one of the president's most trusted policy advisors, will succeed Kim Jin-pyo who offered to step down last week over a series of policy failures and a massive outbreak of food poisoning at local schools, said Cheong Wa Dae.
Minister of Planning and Budget Byeon Yang-kyoon was named to Kwon's post, while Chang Byoung-wan, vice minister of planning and budget, was picked as Byeon's successor, it said.
Meanwhile, the president appointed Jun Gun-pyo, deputy commissioner of the National Tax Service (NTS), as new NTS commissioner. Jun will succeed Lee Ju-sung who abruptly resigned last Tuesday from the top post without giving a clear explanation.
Seoul, July 3 (Yonhap News)
President Roh replaces three key ministers in partial Cabinet reshuffle |
