Who Will Fill Key GNP Posts Under Lee’s Leadership?

Grand National Party (GNP) presidential candidate Lee Myung-bak will reportedly fill the party’s major posts, such as secretary general, chief of staff and spokesperson, as early as today. The credentials of his new appointees will be a barometer for his future staff choices.

Various rumors and predictions hover around his appointments. Nobody, however, is sure about who will take what post. Candidate Lee has issued a “gag order,” threatening to reprimand whoever leaks relevant information to “outsiders.”

Some “nominees” have drawn attention. President of the Youido Institute Yim Tae-hee, for example, is deemed to be the most promising candidate for the office of press secretary. Other prominent nominees are Rep. Choung Byoung-gug and Rep. Kwon Oh-eul. The office of the secretary general is likely to go to one of the following three: Rep. Lee Bang-ho, Hong Joon-pyo, or An Kyung-yul. Former primary rival and GNP leader Park Geun-hye, experts predict, would not object to nomination of Yim Tae-hee and Lee Bang-ho.

Current GNP spokeswoman Na Kyung-won, Rep. Joo Ho-young and party official Lee Dong-gwan are “competing for the spokesperson position.” The GNP leadership is reportedly considering a two-spokesperson system. Nobody disputes that Rep. Park Hyeong-joon will lead the Youido Institute in the future.

Insiders say that candidate Lee gives more weight to selection of the secretary general than that of the chief of staff. None of the current “contenders,” however, seems to fit his criteria for the position 100 percent. One source close to candidate Lee says, “Lee is not likely to choose someone who has come up on his or her own recommendation. The two offices perform complementary roles. If one acts as a strong voice, the other should speak softly.”

Candidate Lee, however, has kept silent even about when to announce the appointees. Only rumors are speaking loudly.

Even his inner circle members do not agree on a single matter. A close aide to Lee confirmed yesterday, “Mr. Lee did not say a word about the appointment over the weekend. In my opinion, he will probably fill the posts after the floor whip is determined tomorrow.” Yet another insider, however, set forth a different projection. He said, “Mr. Lee may fill two of three [posts] tomorrow. I think he’s already made up his mind.”

Others guess that Park’s former campaigners will fill a considerable number of GNP posts.

Candidate Lee reportedly plans to amend the GNP rules to come up with a new type of a streamlined organizational structure. The draft bill was completed last week. The recent move, many believe, is to accommodate Park’s former campaigners.

A member of Lee’s inner circle explains, “Lee seems to take the ‘take-all’ approach. He does not want to leave some [of Park former staffers] out. He plans to take them all in.”

mhpark@donga.com