By Kim Yon-se
Staff Reporter

The presidential office is considering strengthening its public communications system as part of measures to meet the resumption of U.S. beef imports, a presidential secretary said Thursday.

Cheong Wa Dae plans to notify the public of the U.S. beef import-related measures, the aide told reporters.

``We will convey new policies, including the anti-mad cow disease action, more effectively, by revamping the public communications line,'' he said.

The move comes at a time when President Lee Myung-bak was placed under severe criticism among the dominant number of netizens, due to the government's ``full'' opening of the beef market to U.S. products.

Sources said the beef issue has invited scheduled civic protests including nationwide candlelight vigils and Cheong Wa Dae has stepped up efforts to work out measures to placate citizens.

``As news reports unfavorable to the Lee administration began being carried out, it seems that the office is moving to express its stance and counterarguments more actively,'' a Yonsei University professor, who criticized the President's personnel policy, said.

The secretary declined to comment on whether President Lee reproached his secretaries for neglecting to explain policies effectively. He just said, ``It seems that each ministry is slack in public communications.''

He also said the reinforcing of public communications will be a ``mid-term'' project to cope with pending issues systematically.

Lee abolished the Government Information Agency as soon as he took office in late February under his initiative for a small government.

The agency, which spearheaded the controversial media policies of closing government pressrooms last year under the Roh Moo-hyun administration, was launched in 1999 under the Kim Dae-jung administration.

The role and function of the agency was transferred to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The function of overseas information services remains intact, however.

The secretary admitted the necessity of operating an entity for PR of state affairs.

kys@koreatimes.co.kr