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Song Min-soon, who was named as the new foreign minister.
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Basic policies toward N.K., U.S. to be maintained
President Roh Moo-hyun’s reshuffle of his security and foreign affairs team on November 1 revealed the government’s determination to maintain its basic approaches to the U.S. and North Korea. It also means that the government will resolve issues surrounding the North in "Roh’s way." Roh nominated Kim Man-bok, the first deputy director for international affairs at the National Intelligence Service (NIS), to the top post of the NIS; Song Min-soon, chief presidential secretary for security affairs, as the minister of foreign affairs and trade; Lee Jae-jeong, senior vice president of the presidential National Unification Advisory Council, as the unification minister, and Kim Jang-soo, Army chief of staff, as the new defense minister. They will be officially appointed after a parliamentary hearing. Song has been considered Roh’s right-hand man among figures in the Foreign Ministry, and the new head of the anti-espionage agency, Kim, is also trusted by the president. Lee, the new Unification Minister, is known to be a powerful supporter of the engagement policy on North Korea. Considering that the two Kims, with international affairs experience under the current administration, received promotions, and that Song also is a former Foreign Ministry official, the choice of Lee cements the message that Roh is listening to supporters in his administration that want to see the engagement policy with Pyongyang maintained.It is expected that Song’s voice will be the most powerful one following the reshuffle. It is significant that Song, who has taken responsibility for coordinating foreign affairs and security policies, was chosen as the new foreign minister, as it indicates that there will be no changes in Roh’s basic approaches toward the United States. Song raised controversy earlier in October when he said at a forum that the United States "has fought more wars than any other nation in the history of its establishment and survival," with the opposition Grand National Party questioning his appropriateness for the position. With Song’s many associates in the U.S., he will have the task of pushing the Roh administration’s basic policies, while reducing disagreement between Seoul and Washington. But the final character of the new foreign affairs and security team will change depending upon the new chief presidential secretary on unification, foreign affairs, and security to replace Song when he moves to his new position. Yoon Kwang-ung, outgoing defense minister, Kim Ha-jung, ambassador to China, and Baek Jong-cheon, director of the Sejong Institute, are candidates for the post.
