President Park Geun-hye is likely to carry out a small-scale Cabinet shakeup possibly next week after parliament approves her prime minister nominee, a presidential official said Sunday.
Late last month, Park named Lee Wan-koo, floor leader of the ruling Saenuri Party, to replace Prime Minister Chung Hong-won. The National Assembly is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing for the prime minister nominee Tuesday and Wednesday, with a vote slated for the next day.
"(Park) is expected to conduct a Cabinet reshuffle at the recommendation of the new prime minister after the confirmation hearing is wrapped up," presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters.
The planned shake-up is expected to include the maritime minister, although the number of ministers to be replaced remains unknown.
If Lee passing the hearing, the reshuffle could take place as early as on the coming weekend, though it is more likely to happen the week after, watchers said.
Min also said it remains to be seen whether presidential chief of staff Kim Ki-choon will be replaced.
Last month, President Park Geun-hye announced the Cabinet reshuffle plan in a desperate bid to restore public confidence and stop her approval rating from falling further.
A survey by Gallup Korea in January showed that her approval rating hit an all-time low of 29 percent amid public backlash over the government's revised tax settlement scheme. (Yonhap)
