A total of six new candidates are required to go through congressional confirmation hearings, though lawmakers do not have the power to prevent them from taking office early if the president pressures them ahead of the appointment. official.

Mr. Moon Jae In replaced the Prime Minister and a series of ministers on April 16. Photo: Reuters

According to Reuters, the reform comes about a week after the ruling Democrats failed heavily in mayoral elections in key constituencies. In addition, the Korean government is also under pressure from public opinion because of political scandals and mistakes in economic policies.

According to South Korean Presidential Chief of Staff You Young-min, the new Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, who served as mayor of Daegu, is expected to play an important role in bridging political differences. between the two Koreas, and effectively directing efforts to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic.

Meanwhile, senior finance official Noh Hyeong-ouk will replace Mr. Byeon Chang-heum as Korea’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Mr. Byeon Chang-heum was previously forced to resign for allegedly directing employees of a real estate company to use inside information to profit from city development projects.

Moon Sung-wook, who was nominated as the new Korean Minister of Industry, is a man with many years of experience shaping domestic corporate policies. With the new position, he will realize the president’s efforts to attract investment, create jobs, and strengthen cooperation between the chip and automobile sectors to localize the industry. manufacturing chips for cars.

Mr. Kim Boo-kyum (left), a former four-term congressman and former Interior Minister, was nominated as the new Prime Minister of Korea. (Source: Yonhap)

President Moon Jae-in’s selection of this figure in a reform of his cabinet seems to be aimed at giving new momentum to his leadership, which has been affected by the ruling Democrats’ defeat in the Mayor election Seoul and Busan on April 7.

If approved by the Korean National Assembly, Mr. Kim Boo-kyum will replace Mr. Chung Sye-kyun, who has resigned after 15 months in this position. Chung is expected to participate in the presidential election of South Korea next year.

Mr. Kim held the position of Interior Minister from 2017-2019 and ran for MP in Daegu city, 302 km southeast of Seoul, as a candidate for the ruling party.

Mr. Kim was born in 1958 in Sangju town, North Gyeongsang province, the stronghold of the main opposition People’s Power Party (PPP).

Political observers see President Moon’s choice of Mr. Kim as a political message towards national unity.

Both Mr. Chung and Mr. Lee Nak-yon, the first Prime Minister in the Moon administration, are from Jeolla Province, the southwestern province, the longstanding power base of the Democratic Party.

(According to Yonhap)