By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
The largest opposition Democratic Party (DP) will submit to the National Assembly next week a motion to dismiss Minister of Finance and Strategy Kang Man-soo for his ``misguided currency policy.''
``To meet public demand, we are preparing to submit a motion to oust the finance minister,'' DP Chairman Chung Sye-kyun said in a meeting of the party's decision-making Supreme Council Wednesday. ``Kang should have been held accountable for the policy failure but instead, a vice finance minister had to step down.''
In a Cabinet reshuffle Monday aimed at easing public protests against the government's decision to resume American beef imports, President Lee retained Finance Minister Kang, and replaced Vice Finance Minister Choi Joong-kyung with Deputy Finance Minister Kim Dong-soo, holding Choi responsible for the currency policy failure.
The opposition argued the scope of reshuffle fell short of public expectation. Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and all Cabinet ministers had tendered their resignations en masse last month to take responsibility for protests against the resumption of the beef imports.
Kang's weak won policy put inflationary pressure on the economy that heavily depends on imports of energy and food.
Chung also called for the sacking of National Police Agency Chief Eo Cheong-soo and Choi Si-jung, chairman of the Korean Communications Commission.
Eo has invited a backlash from the public for the crackdown on protesters staging rallies against beef imports.
Lee's appointment of Choi as chief of the commission has been criticized by the opposition as a plot to control the media. Choi has been called Lee's mentor.
Rep. Song Young-gil, a member of the DP's Supreme Council, claimed that the move to fire Kang is to help the Lee administration gain trust from the market, saying that it was not politically motivated.
However, the GNP called the opposition claims ``wasteful political attacks.''
``The current economic hardship cannot be solved by the resignation of the finance minister. Opposition parties should rather suggest alternatives to reinvigorate the economy,'' spokeswoman Cho Yoon-sun said.
However, it will be difficult for Kang to avert criticism as GNP floor leader Hong Joon-pyo said the finance and home affair ministers will have a hard time during National Assembly sessions.
In Monday's reshuffle, Lee replaced only three ministers ― those for agriculture, education and welfare.