박근혜 대통령이 5일 신임 청와대 비서실장에 김기춘 전 법무장관을 임명하는 등, 청와대의 실장과 수석인사를 전격 교체했다. 정권에 들어선 첫 번째 해의 하반기에 들어서면서 단행한 교체이다.

김기춘은 검창총장과 법무장관, 3선의원을 지낸 여권 중진으로 박 대통령의 숨은 조력자로 불리는 “7인회”의 한 명이다.

청와대 신임 정무수석에는 박준우 전 EU-벨기에 대사가 비정치인 출신으로 파격 발탁됐다. 훌륭한 외교 능력으로 인정받아온 박준우는 2개월간 장기 공백 상태였던 자리를 메우는 것이다.

이정현 홍보수석은 이날 춘추관에서 이러한 청와대 인선을 공식 발표했다.

민정수석에는 홍경식 전 법무연수원장, 미래전략수석에는 윤창번 전 하나로텔레콤 대표, 고용복지수석에는 최원영 전 복지부차관이 각각 새로 기용됐다.

“새 정부가 출범한 이후 지난 5개월여 동안 새로운 국정철학에 맞게 정책기조와 계획을 세우면서 많은 일을 해오셨던 대통령은 그동안 과중한 업무와 책임속에서 헌신적으로 최선을 다해온 비서실장과 수석들의 노고에 감사하면서 하반기에 보다 적극적인 정책추진과 새로운 출발을 위해 새 청와대 인선을 결정했다”고 이 수석은 밝혔다.

청와대의 일부 개편은 새 정부 출범 6개월이 가까워 지면서 공직사회 전반에 긴장감을 불어넣으려는 박 대통령의 판단이 작용한 것으로 보인다.

곽상도 민정수석의 교체 역시 정권초 인사검증에서의 불협화음의 책임을 물은 것으로 보인다. 고용복지부의 최성재 수석과 미래전략부의 최순홍 수석등도 “창조경제”를 효과적으로 도입하지 못했다고 지적받아왔다.

김 신임 비서실장은 기자회견에서 “지난날 정부와 국회에서 경험한 국정경험과

의정경험을 되살려 국민 모두가 골고루 잘사는 행복한 대한민국을 만들기 위해 노심초사하고 계신 대통령의 국정구상과 국정철학이 차질없이 구현되도록 미력이나마 성심 성의껏 보필할 각오를 갖고 있다”고 말했다. (코리아헤럴드)

<관련 영문 기사>

Park replaces chief of staff

President Park Geun-hye replaced her chief of staff and four senior secretaries on Monday to reinvigorate her administrative drive as she enters the second half of the first year in office.

Kim Ki-choon, a former prosecutor-general, justice minister and three-term lawmaker, replaced Huh Tae-yeol in Park’s first presidential office reshuffle, carried out 162 days after her inauguration.

Kim, 74, is a member of the so-called “seven-member circle,” an unofficial group comprised of veteran politicians offering political and administrative advice to Park.

Park also named seasoned diplomat and former Ambassador to the European Union Park Joon-woo, 60, as her new senior political affairs secretary. Well known for his negotiation skills and expertise in Northeast Asia, Park Joon-woo fills the seat that has been left vacant since early June after a sexual assault scandal involving Park’s first spokesman Yoon Chang-jung.

The case led to the resignations of Yoon and his direct supervisor Lee Nam-ki. Lee Jung-hyun, then senior secretary for political affairs, took over Yoon’s responsibilities.

The designation of Park Joon-woo, a non-politician, to the seat was perceived as an unexpected choice.

Three other senior secretaries were announced: former senior prosecutor Hong Kyung-shik, 62, as senior secretary for civil affairs; information technology expert Yoon Chang-bun, 59, for future strategy; and former Vice Health Minister Choi Won-young, 55, for employment and welfare.

“The personnel decision was made in order to promote a more active push on administration and for a new start in the second half of this year,” said Lee Jung-hyun at a press briefing.

Lee added there would be no reshuffle of Cabinet members for now.

Signs of a personnel shakeup had been spotted in the past several weeks as Park reportedly expressed dissatisfaction toward the lagging administrative momentum and a series of controversies involving personnel appointments of public companies.

Cheong Wa Dae has also recently become more exposed to the growing political strife over the National Intelligence Service’s alleged interference in last year’s presidential election with the main opposition Democratic Party demanding a direct meeting with the president over the matter.

Former senior secretary for civil affairs Kwak Sang-do has been blamed for consecutive personnel fallouts and uncommunicativeness since the Park administration inauguration. The senior secretaries for employment and welfare and future planning had been criticized for failing to implement Park’s key visions on better welfare and a creative economy.

“I am determined to dedicate my best efforts to support the president realize her state vision and philosophy without fail, in order to make the country a place where every citizen is equally well and happy, by using my state and parliamentary experience that I accumulated in the past,” Kim Ki-choon said.

The latest appointment also proved Park’s preference of figures with legal background by calling two former prosecutors to her side, observers said. Currently former prosecutors Chung Hong-won and Hwang Kyo-ahn serve as prime minister and justice minister, respectively.

By Lee Joo-hee
(jhl@heraldcorp.com)