By Lee Tae-hoon
Staff Reporter
A Cabinet reshuffle is looming as the country readies itself for the local elections slated for June 2.
The reshuffle will be necessary as several ranking government officials are expected to leave office before the upcoming elections, government sources said Sunday.
Under the current law, public servants planning to run for office must leave their posts at least 90 days prior to the elections in which they want to run.
Minister of Labor Yim Tae-hee and Minister of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs Jeon Jae-hee are considered strong candidates to be elected as governor of Gyeonggi Province, the sources said.
Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports Yu In-chon is seen as a major contender for the Seoul mayoral election, they said. Yu is expected to vie with incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon and others to win the governing Grand National Party (GNP)'s nomination to run in the election.
Many view the two prominent posts as a breeding ground for presidential candidates. President Lee Myung-bak was Seoul's mayor from July 2002 through June 2006.
The reshuffle will also likely involve some of the first Cabinet ministers of the Lee Myung-bak administration, who have remained in office since Lee's inauguration in February 2008.
Generally, ministers retire after two years in Korea. The average term of ministers under the previous Roh Moo-hyun administration was 433 days, despite his promise he would guarantee a minimum term of two years.
Also included on the list of possible Cabinet members to be reshuffled are Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan; Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs Chung Jong-hwan and Minister of Environment Lee Maan-ee, the sources said.
The sources also said President Lee, who enters his third year in office next month, is expected to carry out the reshuffle in February or early March.
Lee will likely avoid changes in January because the government plans to make public an alternative plan for the controversial Sejong City project on Jan. 11, they said.
The most recent Cabinet reshuffle took place last September in line with the administration's efforts to spur economic recovery and promote social integration.