By Yoo Dong-ho
Staff Reporter

President Roh Moo-hyun on Monday named Rhee Bong-jo, chief of the National Security Council’s policy coordination bureau, as vice unification minister, replacing Cho Kun-shik.

The return of Rhee, 52, who quit his job as the Unification Ministry’s deputy minister in 2002, was the highlight of Monday’s reshuffle of nine vice minister-level officials.

Rhee, graduate of Sogang University, has been a key member of the government’s committee for tackling crucial diplomatic and security issues between Seoul and Washington since the nations began negotiations on the reduction of U.S. forces in Korea this year.

Kim Young-shik, 53, a career bureaucrat who has been serving as deputy minister in the Education and Human Resources Ministry, was promoted to vice education minister.

The reshuffle, however, did not include the nation’s foreign policy team, which has recently been under fire for mishandling the case of a South Korean hostage in Iraq who was killed by an Islamic militant group.

The post of vice minister for government administration and home affairs went to Kwon O-ryong, 50, who has been serving as deputy home minister.

In the shakeup, Cho Hwan-eik, 52, secretary-general of the Korea Industry Technology Foundation, was given the second highest post in the Commerce, Industry and Energy Ministry. Roh also appointed Song Jai-seong, 57, and Shin Hyun-taek, 50, as vice health-welfare minister and vice gender equality minister, respectively.

The Rural Development Administration will be headed by Son Jeong-soo, 51, while the National Forestry Administration’s top post went to Chon Yon-hwan. Kim Sun-jin was appointed as head of the Small and Medium Business Administration.

yoodh@koreatimes.co.kr