By Shim Jae-yun
Staff Reporter

Lee Hun-jai Kim Dae-hwan

President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday named Lee Hun-jai deputy premier-finance and economy minister, replacing Kim Jin-pyo who quit his post to run for the general elections in April.

Lee who served as head of the Financial Supervisory Service in 1999 played a leading role in pushing for financial sector restructuring in the wake of the financial crisis which hit the nation in 1997. He also acted as deputy premier-finance and economy minister under the former President Kim Dae-jung administration.

Roh also appointed Inha University professor Kim Dae-hwan as labor minister to replace Kwon Ki-hong who will also prepare for the Assembly elections.

In the shakeup, Han Duck-soo, president of the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics was named head of the Office for Government Policy Coordination to replace the outgoing Lee Young-taek.

The minor cabinet shuffle affected three vice minister-level officials.

Cho Young-dong, minister of the Government Information Agency, was replaced by his deputy Joung Soon-kyun while Kim Man-bok became the chief of the Planning and Coordination Bureau of the National Intelligence Service, replacing Suh Dong-man.

Kim previously served as chief of the Information Management Bureau of the National Security Council under the wing of the presidential office of Chong Wa Dae.

Kim Hee-sang who served as Roh’s advisor on defense affairs became the head of the Emergency Planning Committee.

jayshim@koreatimes.co.kr