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S.Korea's Lee replaces top staff after beef row
2008-06-20
SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea's President Lee Myung-Bak Friday replaced seven top aides to give his government a fresh start after weeks of mass protests against a US beef import deal. In a televised ceremony Lee named replacements for chief of staff Yu Woo-Ik and six senior presidential secretaries. Ulsan university president Chung Chung-Kil, who served as a policy adviser to various government organisations, becomes the new chief of staff. Among the other appointments Kim Sung-Hwan, currently second vice minister for foreign affairs, becomes presidential aide in charge of foreign affairs and national security, Woori financial group chairman Bahk Byong-Won, who formerly served as vice finance minister, becomes senior presidential secretary for economic policy. Lee, who took office on February 25, faced mass street protest which rocked his government after signing a deal with Washington in April to resume US beef imports. Opponents said he failed to secure safeguards against the risk of mad cow disease. All top presidential secretaries and the entire cabinet had offered to quit earlier this month to let Lee make a fresh start. He will announce a cabinet reshuffle later this month but has indicated it will be less extensive than the secretarial shake-up.
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