Moon to leave economic team unchanged

By Kim Yoo-chul

President Moon Jae-in is expected to leave his economic team unchanged at the upcoming cabinet reshuffle, which will be announced early next week, Cheong Wa Dae sources said.

“The reshuffle will involve up to five ministries. Cheong Wa Dae is in its final stages of reviewing the credentials of candidates for ministerial posts. Announcements will come early next week,” a senior Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters in a media briefing, Thursday.

The reshuffle is expected to include changes of the education, labor, environment and gender equality ministers.

It remains to be seen whether the President will replace Defense Minister Song Young-moo amid a mixed evaluation on his leadership to handle a controversy, after the disclosure of a document drafted by a military intelligence unit which showed plans to deploy troops if protests grew violent following a court ruling last year on Park Geun-hye's impeachment.

But it's likely President Moon will leave his two economic commanders _ presidential policy chief Jang Ha-sung and Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon _ unchanged despite the latest spat over the continuance of “income-driven” economics.

Amid continued weakness in the local job market despite the government's decision to hike the minimum wage, Finance Minister Kim asked policy chief Jang to adjust and update economic policies. But Jang refused to accept the request, saying he was still confident the income-focused growth strategy will turn out to be effective in a statistical sense for total employment growth.

“We don't think lawmakers from opposition parties will join the cabinet,” the Cheong Wa Dae official said. Opposition parties rejected President Moon's move to bring opposition figures into the cabinet.