By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
President-elect Lee Myung-bak will likely nominate the first prime minister of his incoming government early next week, according to his transition team Friday.
Rep. Joo Ho-young, Lee's spokesman, said, ``We have not yet finished completing the screening process for the premier nomination. We are not likely to announce the nomination this week.''
According to a source on the team, Lee will likely appoint former Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo, 72, as prime minister and Yoo Woo-ik, 58, a geography professor at Seoul National University, as presidential chief of staff.
``The screening process of selecting the prime minister is taking much longer than expected but will likely be done by the weekend,'' the source said on condition of anonymity. ``Han and Yoo will be nominated as prime minister and chief of presidential staff unless the screening committee finds a critical problem with them.''
Lee, who has been meeting with a group of candidates for the premiership, reportedly met Han to confirm whether he would accept the job.
However, officials of the transition team refused to elaborate on the nomination.
Joo said, ``It is true that President-elect Lee personally met candidates but we can't confirm whom Lee met.''
Aides to Lee said, however, that Lee hadn't notify the potential nominees of their selection yet. An aide said, ``Han belongs to a group of three candidates for prime minister. We will inform Han of his nomination when we finalize our screening process.''
Currently serving as a special envoy on climate change for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Han is known for his far-reaching diplomatic and political career, which includes stints as foreign, finance and commerce ministers; ambassador to the United States; and presidential chief of staff.
The former three-term lawmaker also served as president of the U.N. General Assembly in 2001.
Han is considered eligible for the post of premier of the new government because Lee, a former business executive, wants the prime minister to use energy diplomacy. Lee often said a new prime minister should have international experience to find energy resources around the world.
Meanwhile, the new prime minister will have less power than his predecessors in the Roh Moo-hyun administration because Lee plans a more powerful presidential office with a small and effective prime minister's office.
Professor Yoo, who will likely become Lee's chief of staff, is a longtime policy adviser to Lee. Other possible candidates for the Cabinet lineup include former Vice Finance Minister Kang Man-soo as finance minister; transition team chairwoman Lee Kyung-sook as education and science minister; Park Beom-hoon, head of the inauguration preparation team, as culture minister; and Rep. Jeon Jae-hee as heath and welfare minister, according to sources.