President Lee Myung-bak tapped Seoul National University professor Bark Tae-ho to be trade minister in a small-scale reshuffle that affected seven high-level government posts, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday.

Bark, currently teaching at the SNU Graduate School of International Studies, formerly headed the Korea Trade Commission and the Korean Association of Trade and Industry Studies.

“As he has abundant knowledge of the overall economy, foreign language proficiency and professionalism, we believe he is best fit for the trade minister post,” the presidential office said in a press release.

“We expect him to deal with pending issues well, including the implementation of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement and our pursuit of FTAs with other nations.”

In the reshuffle, Lee promoted Seo Pil-eon, planning and coordination chief at the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, to the first vice minister post. He also promoted Lee Hee-sung, vice commissioner of the Korea Food and Drug Administration, to the top KFDA post.

Park Hyun-chul, planning and coordination chief of the Rural Development Administration, was promoted to head the RDA.

The president also carried out a reshuffle of Cheong Wa Dae.

Lee appointed Choi Bo-seon, spokesperson for the Unification Ministry, as his secretary for unification affairs. Jeong Nae-sam, chief of the construction and water resources policy department at the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, was appointed Lee’s secretary for national tasks.

Choi Young-hyeon, director of the policy for the disabled at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, was appointed Lee’s secretary for health and welfare issues.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)