Shifts in Secretarial Staffs and State Affair Chief Secretary Position to Remain Vacant

President Roh Moo-hyun accepted the resignation of Secretarial Manager to the President Moon Hee-sang, who is running for the 4/15 general election, on February 13. He appointed Kim Woo-sik, dean of Yonsei University, to the position.

The president also accepted the resignation of Yoo In-tae, chief secretary of state affairs to the president, who will also run for the general election. However, he will leave the position vacant.

The prospect is that the state affairs functions will face a vacancy due to the appointment of a non-political personality such as the new secretarial manager and the unoccupied position of the chief secretary of state affairs.

Moon, the former secretarial manager, said in his resignation interview, “Though unrealistic, we thought we might have a message for the people being without a chief secretary of state affairs during the election,” hinting that the position might remain vacant until the end of the general election.

President Roh also appointed Park Jung-gyu, a lawyer at Kim & Jang Law Firm, to replace Moon Jae-in, chief secretary of civil affairs, and Chun Ho-sun, secretarial officer of state affairs, to replace Chung Mahn-ho, protocol secretary.

“I will assist the president so that the current regime and the president will be successful,” said newly-appointed Secretarial Manager Kim.

“I will do my best in establishing relationships with dialogue between the press and Cheong Wa Dae, just like a family, based on utilitarianism,” Kim said, adding, “When I met President Roh in person, I suggested policies to improve relationships with the press.”

Meanwhile, with former Secretarial Manager Moon and Chief Secretary Yoo pledging to run for the general election, there are currently 20 former secretaries to the president running in this general election. If the number of ministers and vice ministers of the current government running for the election are added to this, the number will reach 29.

Jeong-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com