Myongji presidents enter cabinet in succession

The steady selection of Myongji University presidents as Cabinet members has been the talk of the town on the occasion of the August 7 Cabinet reshuffle.

Many university presidents have been tapped as prime ministers or deputy prime ministers, but those from Myongji University vastly outnumber others.

In the Cabinet shakeup, Myongji University president Song Ja was picked as education minister. He will be promoted to deputy prime minister as soon as a revision to the Government Organization Law passes through the National Assembly.

In 1997, Seoul Mayor Goh Kun, who was the fourth president of the university (1994-1997), was employed as the last prime minister of the "civilian government`` of then President Kim Young-Sam.

Goh`s predecessor, Lee Young-Duk, was also tapped as deputy prime minister and unification minister in 1993 and was named prime minister the next year.

Since the then Myongji College upgraded to a university, two of its five presidents have served as prime ministers.

Some people have said jokingly that the post of Myongji University president must be truly exceptional, but most observers are convinced that school authorities have a talent for selecting able figures as Myongji heads.

You Young-Koo, chairman of the school foundation, is renowned for his human relations skills. His aides said that he used to remember people who impressed him favorably and would later extend invitations to them without fail.