Pres. Lee Conducts Major Reshuffle of Secretariat

President Lee Myung-bak yesterday conducted a major reshuffle of the presidential office ahead of the expected Cabinet shakeup next week.

He appointed his official spokesman Lee Dong-kwan senior secretary for public relations and public relations director Park Hyung-joon senior secretary for political affairs.

Former prosecutor Kwon Jae-jin was named senior secretary for civil affairs; Vice Health, Welfare and Gender Equality Minister Chin Young-kon to the new post of senior secretary for social policy; and Korean Educational Development Institute director Jin Dong-seop senior secretary for education, science and culture.

The president also created the post of chief of policy to strengthen policy integration and coordination, naming senior secretary for economic affairs Yoon Jin-shik to the position.

Yoon will supervise policies on the economy, society, education, science, culture and administration.

Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Chung-kil, senior secretary for foreign affairs and national security Kim Sung-hwan and senior secretary for state affairs planning Bahk Jae-wan retained their posts.

The presidential secretariat reshuffle comes 14 months after the chief of staff and seven senior secretaries were replaced in June last year.

“The focus of the reshuffle is improving the organizational and functional system to proactively respond to environmental changes in and out of Korea and to more effectively support the administration now that President Lee’s term has reached the midpoint,” said Lee Dong-kwan.

President Lee has named Park Sun-kyoo and Kim Eun-hye to serve as his mouthpiece. Park is a former public relations secretary and Kim served as deputy spokeswoman.

Other new posts are secretary for personnel affairs planning in charge of receiving and verifying recommendations and message secretary in charge of presidential speeches and messages.

The incumbent personnel affairs secretary Kim Myung-shik could be promoted to message secretary or a neutral figure could fill the new post. The most likely candidate for message secretary is secretary for political affairs planning Kim Doo-woo.

Senior secretary for political affairs Maeng Hyung-kyu was named to the new post of special adviser for political affairs; the head of the Presidential Council on National Competitiveness, Kang Man-soo, is now special adviser for economic affairs; Kyungwon University computer software professor Oh Hae-seok will be special adviser for information technology; and Korean Academy of Science and Technology director Lee Hyun-koo will serve as special adviser for science and technology.

Special adviser for social cohesion Kim Duk-ryong and special adviser for media Lee Seong-jun retained their positions.

yongari@donga.com