S.Korean President Moon Jae-in Willing To Nominate Opposition Politicians To Cabinet Posts: Official

Faizan Hashmi Published July 23, 2018 | 04:18 PM

South Korean President Moon Jae-in plans to announce a new agriculture minister this week in the start of a Cabinet reshuffle that is expected to bring more appointments next month, possibly including inviting opposition politicians to join the Cabinet, officials said Monday.

SEOUL, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jul, 2018 ) :South Korean President Moon Jae-in plans to announce a new agriculture minister this week in the start of a Cabinet reshuffle that is expected to bring more appointments next month, possibly including inviting opposition politicians to join the Cabinet, officials said Monday.

Moon has been widely expected to shake up the Cabinet in his second year in office, but nominations have been delayed as the National Assembly had been idling and unable to hold confirmation hearings. The legislature resumed work only a little over a week ago after more than 40 days of inactivity.

Officials at Cheong Wa Dae said that Moon is expected to begin a Cabinet reorganization with the appointment of a successor to former agriculture minister Kim Yung-rok who left the post to run in last month's local elections and was elected governor of South Jeolla Province.

"It's highly likely that President Moon will be announcing the nomination of an agriculture minister this week," an official said on customary condition of anonymity.

Sources said other appointments will likely come next month. Posts that could possibly be affected in the shakeup include the environment minister, the gender equality minister, and the industry minister.

Presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said that Moon was considering inviting opposition politicians to join the Cabinet, after the ruling Democratic Party suggested the idea as part of its "cooperative politics" initiative.

Kim said Moon has been waiting to see how discussions between the ruling and opposition parties are going about forming a bipartisan Cabinet. But the president plans to announce his agriculture minister pick this week as the post has been vacant for more than four months, he said.