The presidential transition committee will make the long-delayed announcement of the first batch of nominees for key government posts on Friday morning, 10 days after transition committee chief Kim Yong-joon withdrew himself from the prime ministerial nomination amid allegations of ethical problems.

“The first announcement will be made at 10 a.m. tomorrow, and the second announcement will be made after the Seollal holidays once the vetting process is over,” President-elect Park Geun-hye’s chief spokesman Yoon Chang-joong said Thursday. Seolnal is the Lunar New Year’s holiday, which falls on Feb. 10 this year.

“The president-elect has finished deliberating on the parts included in the first announcement, and there are many meanings in the fact that the second announcement will be made after the selection and vetting process is completed.”

Although Yoon declined to specify nominees or which posts would be announced on Friday, it was widely speculated that the two announcements would include the prime ministerial candidate and the nominee for the chief presidential secretary.

The chief spokesman also dismissed concerns that the lateness of the personnel selection would affect the announcement saying that “there is no possibility” of problems occurring in the schedule.

Last month, the political parties had agreed to process the prime ministerial nomination on Feb. 26 in agreeing to open the National Assembly’s extraordinary session on Feb. 4.

However, the prime ministerial candidate is required to undergo a 20-day parliamentary vetting process, setting a very tight schedule for a smooth launch of the new administration.

Under Park’s plans for Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office will be changed to the presidential secretariat, whose chief will also serve as the head of a committee in charge of personnel management.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)