S. Korean President Lee faces difficult task in his second half term
(From The Japan Times September 1 issue)

任期後半の内閣人事で韓国大統領に打撃

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, who passed the halfway point of his five-year term Aug. 25, hoped to bolster his political foundation with the start of a new Cabinet to be headed by a man who would be the first prime minister in his 40s (47) in 39 years. But his hope was shattered Aug. 29 when his prime minister nominee and two Cabinet minister nominees announced their withdrawal from the approval process in parliament.

In July, Mr. Lee overhauled the staff at the Blue House. Among his new aides is Mr. Yim Tae-hee, former labor minister, who became chief of staff. The same month, the ruling Grand National Party elected Mr. Ahn Sang-soo, a loyalist of Mr. Lee, new party chairman. On Aug. 8, Mr. Lee named Kim Tae-ho, former governor of South Gyeonsang province, as new prime minister and replaced seven other ministers in the biggest Cabinet reshuffle since he came to power in later February 2008.

These changes represented Mr. Lee's attempt to shore up his administration for the second half of his term. Although the ruling party won five of eight parliamentary by-elections July 28, it had suffered a crushing defeat in the June 2 local elections. Mr. Lee's party, which had held 11 of the 16 mayoral and gubernatorial posts, won only six while the opposition Democratic Party won seven of the 16 races.

Mr. Kim withdrew over suspected irregularities in his personal financial dealings. Mr. Shin Jae-min, nominated as culture minister, and Mr. Lee Jae-hoon, nominated as knowledge economy minister, also withdrew over suspected money-related irregularities.

President Lee has been criticized for his political style of skipping the consensus-building process. His hardline stance against North Korea after the March 26 sinking of a South Korean corvette invited opposition from young people. The president faces the difficult task of dissolving long-standing conflicts embedded in South Korean society — between the left and right, older and younger generations, rich and poor, and different regions.

5年の任期後半を迎えた韓国の李明博大統領は政権浮揚を狙って40代の首相を据えた新内閣を発足させようとしたが、首相内定者と大臣候補者2名が辞退を申し出た。

7月に大統領は大統領府の人事改編を断行し、金台鎬前慶尚南道知事の次期首相候補任命をはじめ大掛かりな内閣再編を行なった。

与党は7月の国会議員再･補欠選挙で勝利したが、6月の統一地方選では大敗を喫している。金氏は不正資金供与疑惑で内定を辞退、文化体育観光相候補だった申載旻氏と知識経済相候補だった李載勲氏も不正疑惑が浮上し辞退した。

大統領は合意形成を無視した政治を批判されている。韓国哨戒艦沈没事件での対北強硬路線も若者の反発を呼んだ。左派と右派、年配者と若者、富裕層と貧困層、地域差といった、韓国に根強く残る対立解消に大統領は直面している。