President Lee Myung-bak on Friday nominated a three-term lawmaker as his new culture minister and a presidential aide as knowledge economy minister, Lee's office Cheong Wa Dae announced, in a minor Cabinet reshuffle viewed as aimed at maintaining his grip on state affairs as he enters the fourth of his five years in office.
Rep. Choung Byoung-gug of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP), tapped as culture minister, "has expertise in culture, public relations and media policy" as he has served at the National Assembly's culture, sports and tourism committee for 11 years, Cheong Wa Dae said. He is currently the head of the committee.
Choi Joong-kyung, senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, was named knowledge economy minister in charge of the government's policy on trade and industry.
Choi long served at the finance ministry and also served as Seoul's ambassador to the Philippines.
He is well versed in domestic and international economy and has a "deep understanding of the Lee Myung-bak administration's overall economic policy," Cheong Wa Dae said.
Cheong Wa Dae also announced that Chung Tong-ki, formerly senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, was nominated to lead the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea. The post has remained vacant since Chung's predecessor, Kim Hwang-sik, became prime minister in October.
The nominees are subject to parliamentary confirmation hearings, but their appointments do not require the National Assembly's approval.
The installment of the politicians and presidential aides into the Cabinet and the state audit agency was seen as part of Lee's efforts to prevent his government from becoming an early lame duck and improving ties with the ruling party. Lee has two years left in his term and is prohibited from seeking re-election under the Constitution.
Two well-known confidants of the president -- Lee Dong-kwan and Park Hyung-joon -- also returned to Cheong Wa Dae. Lee, once senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public relations, was tapped as special adviser to the president for media, and Park, who was senior secretary for political affairs, as special adviser for social issues. The duo, known to be among Lee's closest aides, left Cheong Wa Dae in July amid fierce calls for a change in Lee's leadership style following the ruling party's humiliating defeat in the June 2 local elections.
The Cabinet shake-up, the first in four months, was widely expected, but its timing came as a surprise.
Hong Sang-pyo, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public relations, said the president sought to complete the reshuffle within this year "for a fresh start" next year.
Former Vice Finance Minister Kim Seok-dong was designated head of the Financial Services Commission and Kim Dong-soo, chief of Korea Exim Bank, as chairman of the Fair Trade Commission, both of which are minister-level posts.
Kim Young-ran, known for her service as South Korea's first-ever female justice of the Supreme Court from 2004-2010, was appointed as head of the Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission of Korea.
Lee also named Ahn Kwang-chan, an ex-Army general, as senior secretary for national crisis management, a newly created post tasked with dealing with national emergencies. Kim Young-ho, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, was chosen as the new secretary for North Korean affairs, and Lee Jong-hwa, a professor at Korea University, as adviser for international economic policy.
The president initially sought to replace Culture Minister Yu In-chon and Knowledge Economy Minister Choi Kyung-hwan in August. Lee nominated Shin Jae-min as culture minister and Lee Jae-hoon as knowledge economy minister, but their nominations were withdrawn following revelations of their alleged property speculation and other ethical lapses during parliamentary confirmation hearings.
The main opposition Democratic Party pledged thorough screening of the new nominees.
"It is a Cabinet shake-up typical in the waning years of an administration intended to give favors to aides," the party's spokeswoman Cha Young said in a statement. "We will closely look into the qualifications of the nominees through confirmation hearings."
The GNP hailed the reshuffle as appropriate, saying figures with expertise in the relevant fields were selected.