(LEAD) President likely to announce Cabinet shakeup

SEOUL, Jan. 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak will likely replace three to four Cabinet ministers, including his finance minister who has come under heavy criticism for ongoing economic woes, a ruling party official said Monday.

"I heard there will be a minor Cabinet reshuffle, involving economy-related
ministries, later today," Park Hee-tae, head of the ruling Grand National Party
(GNP), said.
The remarks came shortly after Park returned from a meeting with President Lee at
the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
A reshuffle had long been expected amid widespread criticism of several incumbent
ministers, widely blamed for failing to forecast the economic downturn and
adopting 'misguided' policies.
The prospects of a Cabinet shakeup significantly increased over the weekend as
Cheong Wa Dae reshuffled chiefs of top intelligence and policy agencies.
Observers earlier noted the economy minister, Lee Youn-ho, will likely be
replaced along with unification minister Kim Ha-joong when there is a shakeup.
Lee, a career administrator, has been held accountable with the finance minister
for the nation's economic difficulties while the unification minister is said to
have fallen out of the president's favor amid the worsening inter-Korean
relations.
North Korea on Saturday said its armed forces are now "compelled to take an
all-out confrontational posture" against the South, claiming the Seoul government
has opted for confrontation instead of reconciliation.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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