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  August 23, 2001 atimes.com  

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The Koreas

Aviation minister grounded

SEOUL - The new Minister of Construction and Transportation, Kim Yong-chae, said on Wednesday that he will use his extensive background in governmental and parliamentary affairs to facilitate economic growth and increase public welfare.

The former Korea Land Corp president said that he would place his immediate priority on restoring the country's aviation safety rating. He stressed that it was important to overcome shortcomings cited by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) so that Korea can regain its "Category I" rating.

Kim was named the transportation minister in a reshuffle on Wednesday which followed the FAA's downgrading of the nation's aviation safety rating to Category II. A four-time lawmaker, Kim has served various government posts, including as state minister for political affairs.

The new minister, who is also a member of the ruling coalition's United Liberal Democrats (ULD), added that he would move to stabilize the housing shortage among lower- and middle-income earners and bolster the construction industry. He conceded he was not an expert in the transportation field, but said that he would become a responsible manager. "I am very much aware of the responsibilities of this post," Kim said.

President Kim Dae-jung dismissed the former construction and transportation minister, Oh Jang-seop, in the wake of the safety downgrading. However, a presidential spokesman said, "Oh resigned to take responsibility for the air safety downgrading."

South Korea is determined it stem the growing controversy over the nation's diminished air safety standing from spreading further. Before making the dismissal, President Kim sent his senior aide Han Kwang-ok to Kim Jong-pil, honorary chairman of the ULD to explain the inevitability of Oh's dismissal and to learn the ULD leader's opinion about who should succeed Oh.

Oh, who also belongs to the ULD, took office in March. The ministerial post is considered part of the power-sharing agreement with the ULD, the ruling party's coalition partner that played a significant role in helping President Kim gain power. Oh's resignation is expected to subdue a rumored row between Kim and the ULD leader. Kim Jong-pil reportedly fought hard to keep Oh at the post.

(Asia Pulse)

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