Park says she will carry out small-scale Cabinet reshuffle

President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that she will carry out a small-scale Cabinet shake-up to refresh her team as she enters her third year in power.

She said the shake-up would include the maritime minister, though she did not elaborate on how many ministries will be affected. No specific time frame was given.

The top post at the maritime ministry has remained vacant since December when Lee Ju-young stepped down after handling the aftermath of April's deadly ferry sinking that claimed the lives of more than 300 people, mostly high school students.

She also said she will name a group of advisers and partly reorganize the presidential office, a move that could result in reshuffling personnel.

Park has been under intense pressure mostly from the opposition party to fire her chief of staff and three other key presidential aides accused by critics of exerting undue influence in the running of state affairs.

In June, Park conducted a major shake-up as she struggled to regain public confidence in her government rocked by the deadly ferry disaster.

In South Korea, it has been common to conduct a Cabinet reshuffle or other personnel change in a bid to overcome crises and start afresh with a new line-up. (Yonhap)