President Names New Justice, Defense Chiefs

By Shim Jae-yun
Staff Reporter

President Roh Moo-hyun on Wednesday surprisingly fired Minister of Justice Kang Kum-sil, who has been one of his favorite cabinet members at the start of his term nearly one and a half years ago. Kang’s dismissal was met with disbelief, although the Presidential office indicated it accepted her wish to step down because she has been complaining of fatigue.

The sacking of the nation’s first female justice minister came as a shock to the media and the prosecution with whom the nation’s first female minister has had a rift with over a number of policy issues including the scope of reform measures.

Kim Seung-kyu, formerly vice minister of justice and representative of a law firm, was named Kang’s successor.

Meanwhile, President Roh assigned his aide for defense affairs, Yoon Kwang-ung, to the position of defense minister, replacing Cho Young-kil. Cho tendered his resignation Tuesday over the recent military scandal involving a misleading report on the inter-Korean naval standoff in the West Sea.

Yoon’s naming drew attention in that he has become the first defense chief among the graduates of the Korea Naval Academy in more than 40 years since 1953. Most of the previous defense ministers came from the Korea Military Academy.

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A senior Chong Wa Dae official, while announcing Yoon’s naming, cited Yoon’s ability to control the military and his excellent job performance as the presidential secretary. Some critics said, however, Yoon’s background as the graduate of the same high school as President Roh Moo-hyun might have served as a benefit for Yoon.

Roh has been pressed to sack his defense minister given the growing resistance against Cho in the military circle after he made a remark that relevant officers intentionally covered up the communications failure with the North’s navy on the sea border.

Chong Wa Dae officials said Justice Minister Kang has been relieved of her post because she has largely failed to successfully mediate conflicts between the prosecution and presidential office of Chong Wa Dae on many occasions.

Kang, who had never served in the prosecution before being named justice minister at the onset of the current administration, has failed to gain due respect from the prosecution, even locking horns with prosecution leaders on personnel affairs.

Additionally, Kang has been opposing the idea of providing the presidential commission on irregularities by ranking officials with the prosecuting rights.

We expect the new justice minister will push for the much-needed reform of the prosecution without fail as he has long served as a ranking prosecution official, a senior Chong Wa Dae official said.

jayshim@koreatimes.co.kr