In a sweeping reshuffle, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has replaced the prime minister and six other cabinet members in a bid to revive his party, after devastating local election defeats, and his policy agenda.
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Moon named Kim Boo-kyum, a former interior minister and four-term lawmaker, to succeed Chung Sye-kyun as prime minister, while nominated new ministers of land, industry, fisheries, labour, and science and technology.
All six candidates are subject to parliamentary confirmation hearings, although lawmakers don't have the power to block the appointment if the president presses ahead with formal appointment.
The reshuffle came about a week after Moon's leading Democratic Party suffered crushing losses in a special elections for key mayoral posts amid political scandals and economic policy blunders.
With the elections seen a litmus test for political shifts ahead of the March 9, 2022 presidential election, the ruling party's defeat signalled a rough ride for Moon's policy agenda, including stopping runaway home prices and reforming the prosecution system.
Moon's single five-year term ends in 2022.
Australian Associated Press
