By Shim Jae-yun
Staff Reporter

President Roh is likely to tap lawyer Park Jung-kyu as his secretary for civil affairs in a Chong Wa Dae shuffle on Saturday, a Chong Wa Dae source said. Park would replace Moon Jae-in who has tendered his resignation.

Hailing from the southeastern port city Pusan, Park graduated from Korea University and passed the state bar exam in 1980.

Moon expressed his intention to quit the post to President Roh three days ago and Roh accepted it.

In a press conference at Chong Wa Dae, Moon said he decided to step down from his post due to health problems. ``I feel fatigued and exhausted,’’ he said.

But he renewed his earlier statement that he will not run in the general elections in April. ``I will take a rest for the time being and return to my original job (as a lawyer),’’ he explained.

Moon has been pressed to stand as a Uri Party candidate in the Pusan area to help the pro-government camp make gains in the crucial polls.

Roh is likely to name Moon’s successor today at the earliest, along with three other officials to replace chief presidential secretary Moon Hee-sang, secretary for political affairs Yoo In-tae and protocol secretary Chung Man-ho, who have quit their posts to run for the National Assembly.

Another Chong Wa Dae official said, however, the post to be vacated by Yoo will remain unfilled until after the elections.

Moon has been criticized for failing to deal with the recent fundraising scandal involving Min Kyung-chan, brother-in-law of Roh’s elder brother, Roh Kon-pyong, despite being commissioned to manage relatives of the president.

Yom Dong-youn, Roh’s political mentor and supporter in the Taegu and North Kyongsang Province areas, said Moon should leave the presidential office immediately and join the Assembly race.

He also criticized senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs Jeong Chan-young for keeping his Chong Wa Dae post instead of joining the parliamentary contest. Jeong said he will not quit the post.

jayshim@koreatimes.co.kr