By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak replaced the ministers of education, agriculture and welfare Monday in a Cabinet reshuffle aimed at easing public protests against his decision to resume American beef imports, and restoring dialogue with the opposition.
But opposition parties argued the scope of reshuffle fell short of public expectations.
``Monday's Cabinet shakeup shows Lee's arrogance and indifference toward the people,'' said Rep. Chung Sye-kyun, who was elected Sunday as chairman of the main opposition Democratic Party. ``No one in Lee's administration took responsibility for rising inflation and a failure in currency-related policies. It means they don't listen to the public.''
The reshuffle came nearly one month after Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and the entire Cabinet offered to resign to take responsibility for the political turmoil triggered by the beef import deal.
Unlike previous expectations, however, Lee minimized the scope of the reshuffle, retaining Prime Minister Han Seung-soo, as well as almost all of his economic ministers, including Minister of Strategy and Finance Kang Man-soo. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan was also retained.
``The President has decided to give the prime minister another opportunity to maintain consistency in state administration and spur an economic revival,'' Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said.
Ahn Byong-man, 67, a presidential advisor for future state planning, was named minister of education, science and technology.
Born in Gwoesan, North Chungcheong Province, Ahn graduated from Seoul National University and served as president of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
Jang Tae-pyoung, a former secretary general of a state anti-corruption panel, was appointed minister of food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries in place of the outgoing minister Chung Woon-chan.
Jang, 59, was born in Muan, South Jeolla Province and also graduated from Seoul National University. He is a career civil servant with a lot of experience in budget affairs.
Jeon Jae-hee, a three-term lawmaker of the governing Grand National Party (GNP), was nominated as minister of health, welfare and family affairs.
Born in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, Jeon, 59, served as a key election campaigner for Lee in welfare and education policies last year. She is currently a member of the GNP's decision-making Supreme Council.
President Lee also designated Supreme Court justice Kim Hwang-sik as the new chief of the Board of Audit and Inspection.
Lee also replaced Vice Finance Minister Choi Jung-kyung with Deputy Finance Minister Kim Dong-soo.
Shin Kak-soo, ambassador to Israel, was named second vice foreign minister to replace Kim Sung-hwan who became senior presidential secretary for foreign and security affairs last month.
Former GNP lawmaker Kim Deog-ryong and Lee Sung-joon, former vice president of the Hankook Ilbo newspaper, were appointed as special presidential advisors for national unity and press affairs, respectively.