S. Korea about to replace heads of main government agencies

SEOUL, Jan. 18 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak is expected to replace the national police chief as part of his plan to reorganize his government, as he prepares to begin his second year in office, officials said Sunday.

The president may possibly announce as early as Sunday the replacement of Eo
Cheong-soo who has offered to resign as commissioner-general of the National
Policy Agency, said presidential aides.
President Lee took office on Feb. 25 last year following a landslide election
victory. He has been under pressure from both supporters and foes to regroup his
team, whose popularity remains very low.
Local media, quoting various government sources, reported that Lee's first step
to reorganize his government would also possibly affect the tax and two major
law enforcement agencies -- the national intelligence and prosecution.
"The list of candidates has been reported to President Lee and he almost made his
decision," a presidential secretary said, commenting on the expected reshuffle of
the government.
Eo has been under public pressure to resign for his "oppressive" ways of cracking
down on street protests against Seoul's unpopular decision last year to reopen
its market to U.S. beef.
Following Eo's resignation offer, a police agency committee y convened a meeting
on Sunday and approved Kim Seok-ki, chief of the Seoul Metropolitan Police
Agency, as his replacement.
The president is also expected to announce the replacement of Han Sang-ryule, the
head of the National Tax Service who also offered to step down last week for his
alleged involvement in a bribery scandal.
Presidential aides have indicated that the upcoming reorganization would affect
the Cabinet and other key government posts.
The president's single five-year term ends in early 2013.