Park replaces top political aide

By Kang Seung-woo

Kim Jae-won

President Park Geun-hye appointed Kim Jae-won, a former Saenuri Party lawmaker, as her new senior secretary for political affairs, Wednesday.

Park also replaced two other senior secretaries and three vice ministers.

Kim will replace Hyun Ki-hwan, who was named to the post only 11 months ago. Kim served as a special presidential advisor for public relations from February to October 2015.

The political affairs secretary serves as a mediator between the government and the National Assembly.

The appointment of her close aide to the post is seen as President Park’s decision to help the Saenuri Party recover from losses in the April 13 general election and focus on state affairs during her remaining term in office. The ruling party won 122 parliamentary seats in the election, demoting it to the second-largest party behind the Minjoo Party of Korea with 123 seats.

In addition, the appointment came as those who are loyal to Park have an increasingly bigger say within the Saenuri Party.

In the wake of the Saenuri Party’s defeat in the general election, there has been speculation that the senior presidential secretary for political affairs and the presidential chief of staff would be replaced. Hyun had expressed his willingness to step down on several occasions.

Park named her new chief of staff, Lee Won-jong, last month.

“I have a heavy heart as I could not fully support President Park,” Hyun told reporters.

She also named Hyun Dae-won, a professor in the Department pf Communication at Sogang University, as her senior secretary for future strategy, while tapping Kim Yong-seung, vice president of the Catholic University of Korea, as the new chief presidential secretary for education and cultural affairs.

Park named three new vice ministers for unification, environment and agriculture.

Kim Hyung-suk, presidential secretary for unification affairs, was appointed the vice minister of the unification ministry, while Lee Joon-won, a senior official in charge of food industry policy at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, was promoted to the position of vice farm minister.

Park also promoted Lee Jung-sub, senior official in charge of environmental policy at the Ministry of Environment, to vice minister.