President Park Geun-hye on Thursday named her new chief of staff and senior political adviser, wrapping up the extensive shake-up of her secretariat aimed at defusing protest over the corruption scandal involving her confidante Choi Soon-sil.

Her previous reshuffle decisions had triggered backlash for “failing to reflect the calls for reform,” but this time the president chose to embrace a ranking opposition figure in an apparent gesture of reconciliation.

It remains doubtful, however, whether the series of personnel replacements will be a valid solution to growing public fury against the president’s alleged connections to the unprecedented scandal.

Park’s pick to steer the presidential staff was Han Gwang-ok, the incumbent chairman of the Presidential Committee for National Cohesion and a former chief of staff for the late liberal President Kim Dae-jung.

For the post of senior presidential secretary for political affairs, she tapped Hur Won-je, a former journalist-turned-politician and vice chairman of the Korea Communications Commission.

“With his ample experience, as well as his devotion to democratization, Han will assist the president amid these difficult times and contribute to stabilizing state management,” said spokesperson Jung Youn-kuk.

Han reciprocated by saying that he will “gather opinions from all social standings and deliver them to the president.”

The incoming presidential chief of staff is marked for his past affiliation with the liberal opposition. He served as chief of staff for the late President Kim Dae-jung and was also a fourth-term lawmaker in former bodies of the current main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.

Han seconded to the ruling conservative Saenuri Party in 2012, shortly before the presidential election, and has been in his current post as national cohesion chief ever since Park’s presidential transition team kicked off in January 2013.

Park’s appointment of the former opposition figure was regarded back then as a gesture of political reform and social tolerance -- campaign pledges which she had vowed to achieve.

The fact that he came from Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, which is part of the longtime liberal stronghold area in the southwest of the nation, also adds to the symbolic significance of his appointment.

Despite the gesture of reaching across political boundaries, Park’s personnel decision was at odds with the opposition.

“Not a day has yet passed since the latest shake-up which reflected her disconnection, not only from the public and opposition but from the ruling camp as well,” said Democratic Party spokesperson Rep. Keum Tae-sup in a briefing.

The runner-up opposition People’s Party, too, blasted the president for turning a deaf ear to those asking for her explanation, apology and even resignation.

Hur, the new senior presidential secretary for political affairs who replaces the feud-ridden Woo Byung-woo, formerly worked as a journalist for several local papers including the nation’s leading progressive voice Kyunghang Shinmun. He also worked several years in broadcasting companies KBS and SBS, after which he joined political circles as a ruling party lawmaker in the previous 18th National Assembly.

He served as a campaign strategist for Park during the primary back in 2007 to win the presidential nomination of the Grand National Party, the former body of the current Saenuri.

His expected function as the president’s political agenda chief is to “play a bridging role” so as to ensure communication with the legislature and citizens, according to the Blue House spokesperson.

Though the post of senior secretary for policy coordination, formerly occupied by scandal-linked An Chong-bum, still remains vacant, Thursday’s appointments more or less filled most of the personnel blanks in top presidential posts.

The embattled state leader appointed two new senior secretaries Sunday and a new prime minister Wednesday, along with a new deputy prime minister and public safety and security minister.

Meanwhile, the prosecutorial investigation on Choi continues. She is the controversial friend of the president who allegedly used her ties with the state leader to sway key state affairs.

After reports seemingly indicating the president’s liability, Justice Minister Kim Hyun-woong said Thursday that he will suggest the president volunteer for questioning.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)