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Park names Yoon as presidential spokesman

Feb. 25, 2013 - 19:59 By Shin Hyon-hee
President-elect Park Geun-hye on Sunday tapped her transition team spokesman Yoon Chang-jung and Wikitree Vice Chairwoman Kim Haing as the spokespeople for her administration.

The nominations come a day ahead of Park’s inauguration ceremony on Monday when the 61-year-old will be sworn in as South Korea’s first female president.

Yoon, 57, a former journalist-turned-political columnist, joined the transition team as senior spokesman in December.

Kim, 54, is a founding member of social network news service Wikitree. She has worked as a research specialist and as a political spokeswoman.

Yoon’s appointment was in consideration of the continuity and the professionalism of the transition team’s tasks, presidential staff nominee Choi Sang-hwa told Yonhap by phone.

In addition to the appointment of spokespeople, sources said Park has also named presidential secretaries, including former aides that have assisted her during her political career.

The incoming presidential office, however, has not confirmed the appointment of secretaries, raising concerns over Park’s plan to fill her administration.

Meanwhile, the main opposition Democratic United Party issued a statement denouncing the appointment of the spokespeople.

The DUP had previously criticized Yoon’s appointment as transition team spokesman, claiming his past columns show that he is biased. (Yonhap News)