Lee Apologizes for Row in Cabinet Lineup

President Lee Myung-bak took partial responsibility of the recent withdrawal of his minister nominees, saying he and his entourage are to blame for the” bumpy start” of his administration.

Lee made such a comment at the first expanded meeting of his secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae earlier Friday. He said, “We couldn’t deal with our regular daily tasks for several days. Some responsibilities lie in our failure to take full advantage of the (government`s personnel information) data.” It was the first time the president expressed his opinion on the recent debacle over his Cabinet lineup.

“We could not but consider the current political circumstances (of a weak ruling party versus a strong opposition). However, rather than blaming the reality for what’s already happened, we should make efforts to overcome it and show to the nation that the government is working hard,” Lee stressed.

ddr@donga.com