Ambassador to Vietnam becomes 1st vice FM

By Na Jeong-ju

President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday named Korea’s Ambassador to Vietnam Park Suk-hwan as the first vice foreign minister in a reshuffle that also replaced four other vice-ministerial posts and three presidential secretaries.

Park, 56, a career diplomat, entered the foreign ministry in 1979 and has since worked mostly in Asian affairs. His previous posts overseas were mainly in Japan and China.

Park also served as chief of protocol before becoming ambassador to Vietnam last year.

Park will replace Shin Kak-soo, who offered to resign last year amid a corruption scandal that mired the ministry.

In other replacements of vice-ministerial jobs, Seoul National University professor Lee Don-koo, 65, was named as head of the Korea Forest Service; former weather journalist Cho Seok-joon, 57, as head of the Korea Meteorological Administration; and former National Museum of Korea chief Choe Kwang-shik, 58, as head of the Cultural Heritage Administration.

Seoul National University professor Kim Young-na, 60, was also appointed head of the National Museum.

President Lee also replaced three presidential secretaries, including land and maritime affairs secretary Shin Jong-ho, 51, who was transferred to the post of secretary for regional development.

Presidential spokeswoman Kim Hee-jung said there would be an additional smaller-scale reshuffling of presidential aides later this month.