By Shim Jae-yun
Staff Reporter

Presidential spokesman Yoon Tai-young on Tuesday said some 10 lawyers will be tapped for the defense counsel team for the impeached President Roh Moo-hyun.

Roh’s former secretary for civil affairs, Moon Jae-in, will announce the list of lawyers early next week, Yoon said in media briefing at Chong Wa Dae.

Moon will lead the team of lawyers, which will defend Roh during his trial at the Constitutional Court regarding the legitimacy of the impeachment motion.

The opposition Grand National Party and the Millennium Democratic Party passed the impeachment bill last Friday, stripping Roh of his presidential duties until the court makes the final determination on the matter.

Among those being considered for a place on the team include Hahn Seung-hun, former head of the Board of Audit and Inspection under former President Kim Dae-jung, and Ha Kyung-chul, who served until recently as a justice of the Constitutional Court.

Touching on Roh’s life since the impeachment, Yoon said the suspended head of state has been spending his time reading books and taking walks around the presidential residence.

Roh has been reported to on state administration by Park Bong-heum, Chong Wa Dae director general for policy planning, to stay informed about government affairs.

``It is necessary for Roh to be briefed on state affairs until the Constitutional Court makes its final ruling,’’ another Chong Wa Dae official said.

Acting president Prime Minister Goh Kun also instructed Park to keep Roh updated on the development of state affairs.

The Policy Planning Bureau claimed there is no legal problem in its reporting on policy concerns to the impeached head of state.

Yoon said Roh has been refraining from making telephone calls to politicians and any others involved in campaigning to avoid further allegations of him meddling in the upcoming legislative polls in April.

In a related move, a group of people from Roh’s hometown of Kimhae in South Kyongsang Province canceled their plan to visit the presidential office to encourage the head of state.

``Presidential secretaries persuaded them to give up the plan, saying President Roh well understands their wishes,’’ Yoon said.