Ruling party, gov`t to be reorganized

President Kim Dae-Jung will conduct a large-scale reshuffling of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) and Chong Wa Dae following the current National Assembly special session toward the end of the year, but the shakeup could be delayed until early next year.

President Kim is expected to meet with Lee Hoi-Chang, president of the main opposition Grand National Party (GNP), and Kim Jong-Pil, honorary president of the splinter United Liberal Democrats (ULD), next week, and asked them to discontinue partisan strife and discuss ways of promoting comprehensive inter-party policy coordination.

In the president¡¯s meeting with the de facto ULD leader, Kim will discuss the matter of ULD members' joining the prospective cabinet, it was learned.

The president is said to be considering the selection of MDP chairman from among the party lawmakers in consideration of relations with the GNP and the ULD. And as for the three party key posts -- the party secretary general, floor leader and the chief policy maker -- the president is likely to replace all of them, reliable sources said.

With regard to the reshuffling of cabinet members, the chief executive will weigh the replacements of the ministers related to economic, diplomatic and security affairs. But the cabinet reorganization is expected to be made simultaneously with the MDP and Chong Wa Dae changes after March, when the four-sector reforms are completed.

As for Chong Wa Dae, it is known that a few senior presidential secretaries will be replaced.