New civil affairs secretary draws mixed response

By Kang Seung-woo

Choi Jai-kyeong

The appointment of a new senior secretary for civil affairs by President Park Geun-hye is drawing mixed opinions from the rival political parties.

In order to ease growing public anger over an influence-peddling scandal involving her longtime confidant Choi Soon-sil, Park carried out a partial reshuffle of her secretaries, Sunday, replacing Woo Byung-woo, a scandal-ridden secretary for civil affairs, with Choi Jai-kyeong, a former prosecutor.

Choi allegedly has a close relationship with Kim Ki-choon, a former presidential chief of staff, and is a nephew of Choi Pyong-yol, a former chairman of the Grand National Party, the predecessor of the Saenuri Party.

The opposition parties made clear their disapproval of his selection, citing his previous career as a prosecutor.

“The new secretary for civil affairs should not follow in Woo’s footsteps,” said Youn Kwan-suk, a spokesman of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

“Choi was in charge of the BBK investment scandal and we will keep close tabs on whether he will do anything political while in office.”

The scandal named after a firm set up by former President Lee Myung-bak and his Korean-American business partner Kim Kyung-joon in 2000 broke out at the height of the 2007 presidential race when Kim claimed Lee was involved in an investment scam and stock manipulation. However, the prosecution cleared Lee of wrongdoing shortly before the election, while Kim was sentenced to eight years in jail.

Choi was also in charge of an illegal lobbying scandal involving Roh Geon-pyeong, former President Roh Moo-hyun’s elder brother, putting him behind bars in 2008.

Son Kum-ju, a spokesman of the second-largest opposition People’s Party, said, “While Cheong Wa Dae is currently facing a political crisis, it has selected a politicized prosecutor as the chief secretary for civil affairs. Is the presidential office still considering controlling the prosecution to cover up the scandal?”

Rep. Yoo Eun-hae of the People’s Party also said that Choi is only a good fit for the post if it is to be used to control the prosecution.

However, the ruling Saenuri Party welcomed the selection, saying that Cheong Wa Dae had replied to repeated parliamentary calls to dismiss Woo, regarded as one of the most influential figures at Cheong Wa Dae, due to disputes surrounding his family members.