By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter

President Roh Moo-hyun on Tuesday nominated Rep. Lee Hai-chan, his political ally and stalwart of the ruling Uri Party, as prime minister, according to Chong Wa Dae.

``President Roh designated Rep. Lee Hae-chan for his ability to implement government policies and to coordinate between the presidential office and parties,’’ said presidential spokesman Yoon Tai-young.

Lee’s nomination brought an end to weeks of internal strife in the ruling camp over Roh’s insistence on naming former South Kyongsang Province governor Kim Hyuck-kyu.

Roh disclosed Lee as his choice for prime minister during his dinner with Uri Party leaders, who expressed their consent for Roh’s choice, Yoon said.

Five-term lawmaker Lee has previously served as vice mayor of Seoul in 1996 and as education minister from 1998 to 1999. He also worked as chief policymaker of the former ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) in 2002, before leaving the party along with other Roh supporters.

Lee’s nomination came three days after former governor Kim asked Roh to let him be excluded from consideration for prime minister, holding himself responsible for the party’s humiliating defeat in the June 5 by-elections.

Roh had consistently touted Kim as the right person for the post since the former prime minister stepped down last month after the Constitutional Court exonerated him from the unprecedented impeachment case. However, Roh’s trump card of Kim backfired even within the Uri Party as well as opposition parties, which caused a crushing defeat to the governing party.

A motion will be submitted to the National Assembly today, asking lawmakers to give their consent to officially tap Lee as prime minister.

The Assembly will likely approve Lee’s nomination, thanks to the majority status of the ruling Uri Party at the Assembly. The Uri Party has 152 lawmakers in the 299-seat parliament.

However, it remains to be seen how Lee will fare during the confirmation hearing at a time when the relationship between President Roh and the opposition parties is at its lowest.

``President Roh’s choice goes against common sense,’’ said Han Sun-kyo, spokesman of the 121-member-strong Grand National Party (GNP). ``Our party will conduct a thorough parliamentary hearing to judge him.’’

The major opposition GNP will allow its lawmakers to cross-vote in the voting session where the Assembly decides on the motion to approve Lee as prime minister, Han added.

``We will conduct a seamless hearing proceeding on Lee,’’ the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) spokesman Kim Jong-chul said. ``The Assembly will surely examine his ability to conduct reforms.’’

After Receiving the bill, parliament will have two days to pick 13 members for the committee that will head a special confirmation hearing and 15 days to hold a parliament-wide free vote on the appointment.

The prime minister’s post became vacant in late May when Goh Kun suddenly resigned amid controversy over his alleged fail-controversy over his alleged failure to endorse a minor Cabinet shakeup.

yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr