S.Korea's opposition parties reject cabinet reshuffle

South Korea's opposition parties have rejected the cabinet reshuffle announced on Wednesday by President Park Geun-hye without prior consultation, as the country tries to cope with an unfolding scandal surrounding her long time confidant.

Political experts said the opposition parties' boycott of parliamentary hearings on the candidate will emerge as a hurdle since the post for Prime Minister calls for the participation of more than half of the lawmakers, while nominees can only be appointed with a majority backing, Yonhap news agency reported.

Senior members of the main opposition Minjoo Party denounced the President for naming the second-highest cabinet member without any advance notice and discussion with the opposition party.

Park earlier named Kim Byong-joon, former senior Presidential Policy Secretary under late President Roh Moo-hyun, as the new premier. Kim is currently a professor at the Kookmin University in Seoul, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Park is attempting to overcome the crisis by implementing a reshuffle that only looks like a neutral Cabinet from the outside by tapping officials who served under a liberal administration," said Rep. Woo Sang-ho, the floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party.

Park reshuffled her presidential secretariat on Sunday, accepting resignations of eight secretaries that include the Presidential Chief of Staff and Senior Secretaries for Civil Affairs and Policy Coordination.

Her reshuffle, however, seems not to be enough to contain public anger and condemnations from opposition lawmakers and even from members of the non-President Park faction within the ruling party.

The cabinet reshuffle came amid allegations against Choi Soon-sil, who is suspected of peddling influence and intervening in state affairs behind the scenes by using her longtime friendship with President Park.

Floor leader of the casting vote-wielding People's Party blasted the appointment of the main cabinet posts without any communications.

Rep. Park Jie-won, the floor leader of the People's Party, said, "Park cannot cover the situation through a reshuffle while avoiding the fact-finding efforts."

The lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party were also divided over the earlier-than-expected personnel reshuffle by the Presidential Office.

While Rep. Kim Sung-won, the ruling party's Spokesman, said, adding that the change will play a key role in overcoming the crisis, Rep. Kim Yong-tae, one of the non-Park lawmakers, said a true neutral Cabinet can only be made when the parliament proposes candidates to the President, with Park stepping aside from state affairs.

Opposition lawmakers and part of the ruling party members have called on the embattled President to name a new Prime Minister proposed by the parliament following an agreement among political parties.

The lawmaker said the opposition has been demanding an investigation into Park, adding such a reshuffle will not ease public anger.

Rep. Choo Mi-ae, the head of the party stressed that the President is a suspect who needs to be questioned and yet she unilaterally appointed a new premier. "This move contradicts public sentiment," she said.

--IANS

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