President Roh names two new ministers

Seoul: South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun named new ministers to the crucial commerce and unification portfolios yesterday in a reshuffle that allows former cabinet members to prepare for possible presidential bids.

Roh named Lee Jong-seok, a liberal expert on North Korea, as unification minister, replacing Chung Dong-young, one of two ministers who resigned last week to return to the ruling Uri Party, a presidential Blue House official said by telephone.

The Unification Ministry handles ties with North Korea. Returning to the party is widely seen as a preparatory step for launching a bid for the 2007 presidential election.

Roh elected for a single five-year term named Uri Party chief Chung Sye-kyun as the minister for commerce, industry and energy. That is a vital role in Asia's fourth-largest economy and one of the world's top energy importers.

Roh also named new science and labour ministers.

Under South Korea's system, only the prime minister needs parliamentary approval, but, under a new law, the appointments are subject to parliamentary committee hearings.