S.Korea president revamps cabinet after ferry tragedy

Agence France-Presse

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This is Park's first major cabinet shake-up since taking office in February 2013
CABINET REVAMP. In this file photo, South Korean President Park Geun-hye talks to journalists during a press conference at the State Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, 12 October 2013. File photo by EPA/Bagus Indahono

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korean President Park Geun-Hye revamped her cabinet Friday, June 13, replacing 7 ministers in response to intense criticism over her administration’s handling of April’s ferry disaster.

It was Park’s first major cabinet shake-up since taking office in February last year as South Korea’s first female president. (READ: First damages suit filed over S. Korea ferry disaster)

The most high-profile change will see Choi Kyoung-Hwan, a ruling party lawmaker, replacing Hyun Oh-Seok as finance minister in charge of the economy, the presidential Blue House said.

Park also named 6 other new ministers responsible for security, education, labour, culture, gender equality and science. (READ: S. Korea’s Park says family ‘root cause’ of ferry tragedy)

Chong Jong-Sup, a Seoul National University law professor, was named to head the ministry of security and public administration, which will take the lead in implementing promised reforms following the Sewol disaster, which claimed nearly 300 lives, mostly schoolchildren.

The tragedy stunned South Korea, knocking the entire country off its stride and unleashing a wave of public anger, as it emerged that incompetence, corruption and greed had all contributed to the scale of the disaster.

Park’s administration was sharply criticized over its response, prompting her to dismantle the coastguard and order a major overhaul of national safety standards and procedures.

Earlier this week, Park nominated a new prime minister to replace Chung Hong-Won, who was forced to resign over the Sewol tragedy.

The president also named a new director of the domestic spy agency, the National Intelligence Service. – Rappler.com

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