Cheong Wa Dae steps back from assembling bipartisan cabinet

Bareunmirae Party Rep. Park Sun-sook

By Park Ji-won

Cheong Wa Dae has stepped back from creating a bipartisan Cabinet with the presidential office denying media reports that it was considering nominating a minor opposition party lawmaker as environment minister.

“Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Floor Leader Rep. Hong Young-pyo notified senior presidential secretaries that the party had not recommended Bareunmirae Party lawmaker Park Sun-sook as minister of environment in the upcoming cabinet reshuffle,” a senior Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters Friday.

Local media reports said Hong was pushing to nominate Park for the post in a move to assemble a bipartisan Cabinet after the ruling party suggested “cooperative politics.”

After the denial from Cheong Wa Dae, a DPK spokeswoman said the party didn't take the reporting issue seriously, however, it will ask for corrections.

President Moon Jae-in is expected to soon replace some Cabinet members and it was widely reported that some members of the opposition parties would be chosen in line with the initiative.

Park served as environment vice minister under the former Roh Moo-hyun administration, and has maintained connections with the ruling party. She worked with President Moon Jae-in when he was Roh's chief of staff.