By Ryu Jin
Staff Reporter
President Roh Moo-hyun is likely to replace some of his ministers early next year in a Cabinet reshuffle which would affect several key posts of the administration in addition to schedules for 2006, sources at Chong Wa Dae said Monday.

The ``phased’’ reshuffle would start with the envisioned replacement of Unification Minister Chung Dong-young and Minister of Health and Welfare Kim Geun-tae who are expected to resign in January in order to join the ruling Uri Party’s leadership race in February.

Chung and Kim, both presidential hopefuls of the ruling camp for the 2007 election, are to quit their ministerial posts when the National Assembly session ends late this month with the passage of the budget bill for next year, according to the sources.

Several other ministers could also be included in the reshuffle as some incumbents hope to run for the local elections next May, they said. Minister of Education and Human Resources Development Kim Jin-pyo, for example, will likely run for the Kyonggi Province governorship.

Minister of Science and Technology Oh Myung could also be replaced as he has served in the post for two years, seen as a relatively long period, and has become entangled in the latest stem cell research dispute involving the country’s cloning pioneer, Professor Hwang Woo-suk of Seoul National University.

``A list of candidates to fill the ministerial posts could be made public early next month at the earliest,’’ a presidential aide said on condition of anonymity. ``But the whole process needed for the reshuffle could last as long as a month.’’

The law governing government organizations requires any Cabinet minister to be subject to a National Assembly confirmation hearing before they are formally appointed by the president. And it could take about a month for a nominee to be finally approved by the legislature.

``The Assembly should deliver the result of the confirmation hearing to the government in less than 20 days and the period could be extended by 10 days if needed,’’ another presidential aide said. ``We expect the ministries could use the period for a smooth handover of duties.’’

In the meantime, Environment Minister Lee Jae-yong and Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Oh Keo-don, who are much touted as the ruling party’s most viable candidates for the mayoral elections in Taegu and Pusan, will likely be replaced somewhat later, the sources said.

``The timing for replacement of those ministers who are to run for the May 31 local elections will likely be decided in consideration of each figure’s determination and the election schedules of the party,’’ a senior official at the presidential office said.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr