South Korean President Park Geun-hye, beleaguered by an influence-peddling scandal involving her close friend Choi Soon-sil, Wednesday appointed Kim Byong-joon, a former policy adviser to late President Roh Moo-hyun, as new prime minister in desperate hopes to normalize state governance against mounting pressure from the opposition and civilian campaign demanding her resignation.

Yim Jong-yong, chairman of the Financial Services Commission, was named as the deputy prime minister for the economy and finance minister, and Park Seung-joo, a former vice minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality & Family under the Roh administration, was appointed as the new minister of Public Safety and Security at the recommendation of the appointed prime minister, said presidential office spokesperson Jeong Yeon-guk.

Recruiting figures from the former liberal administration implies the president respects the public opinion of demand for a neutral bipartisan cabinet to restore public authority, another Blue House official said.

Kim, a professor of public policy at Kookmin University in Seoul since 1986 had been the key architect behind policies of former president Roh, serving as his deputy prime minister doubled as the minister of education among other posts. He also served as the head of the Presidential Commission on Policy Planning. Yim and Park are both from the Honam region referring to Jeolla Province, a traditional voting base for liberals.

The reshuffle came at a time when Park and her aides are under fire for various wrongdoings and power abuses related to Choi alleged to have wielded unfettered power over state affairs and strong-armed companies to donate money to her private organizations through her influence over the president.

By Nam Gi-hyun

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