`Major Reshuffle Not to Precede By-elections`

Reshuffles of the presidential office and the Cabinet will not come before the July 28 by-elections, a key official at the presidential office said Sunday.

The official told reporters, “A presidential office shake-up is likely after the July 28 by-elections,” adding, “Political schedules such as the Grand National Party`s national convention (scheduled for early July) and by-elections will be considered.”

On a Cabinet reshuffle, the official said, “We`ve had such (bad) election results, but economic growth in the first quarter was the highest (8.1 percent) in seven years. On the national security front, we`ve responded to the Cheonan incident in a calm and restrained manner from the beginning to referring the incident to the U.N. Security Council, though a problem appeared in the report system in the initial responses to the incident.”

"Cabinet members are unlikely to be held accountable immediately. The scope of the reshuffle remains to be seen but the shake-up will likely be carried out at a very limited level.”

On the timing of the reshuffle, he said, “A change to the presidential staff is unlikely to happen before the by-elections and a Cabinet shake-up before then is all the more unlikely,” adding, "If necessary, new officials will be hired but a Cabinet shake-up related to the election results isn’t being considered now.”

yongari@donga.com