The Republic of Korea's (ROK) next government agreed yesterday to maintain the ministry that handles engagement with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), heeding opposition complaints that closing it would be like abandoning dreams of a reunified Korea.

Eliminating the Unification Ministry and transferring its duties to the Foreign Ministry was a central part of a government streamlining plan proposed by President-elect Lee Myung-bak. The plan was seen as an indication of the conservative leader's negative view of the agency, which has been accused of being too soft on the North.

But Lee withdrew the plan, which was not popular among the public, under pressure from liberal lawmakers who represent the largest voting bloc in parliament and who will form the opposition to his ruling Grand National Party once he takes office on Monday.

The opposition bloc, tentatively named the United Demcratic Party, had threatened to reject his entire streamlining proposal, which also aims to close several other ministries. Lee needs the support of the liberal lawmakers for his proposal to pass through parliament.

Under the agreement, Lee will keep two of the five ministries he originally planned to scrap, including the Ministry for Gender Equality. The liberal lawmakers had argued that the ministry is too important and symbolic for inter-Korean reconciliation to be scrapped.

The decision to maintain the Unification Ministry does not mean that Lee will take a soft stance on Pyongyang.

The incoming president is expected to name Nam Joo-hong, a university professor who is a hard-liner on the DPRK, as unification minister.

Agencies

(China Daily 02/21/2008 page11)