South Korean Ag Minister to Step Down

South Korean Ag Minister to Step Down
USAgNet - 08/06/2007

Agriculture Minister Park Hong-soo said Monday that he will step down after more than two-and-a-half years in office. In a meeting with reporters, the policymaker said he had considered resigning after negotiations on the free trade agreement with the United States were concluded on April 2, but stayed on because there was a need to formulate follow-up measures.
"I have decided to resign because most of the FTA follow-up plans have been drawn and there is no real need for major policy changes in the coming months," he said.
He then said that he will stay on as minister until his replacement is named and passes parliament's confirmation hearing, which may be concluded by the end of August.
Park, who was a lawmaker before he took office on January 2005, stressed that he did not plan to return to politics, but hinted he may continue playing a role in the country's farm movement.
He added that the presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, and the office of the Prime Minister were informed in advance and have agreed to his decision.
The resignation comes as the government is pushing to ratify the FTA with the United States in the near future, and negotiations on the Doha Development Round take place. There is also growing controversy surrounding the easing of import restrictions on U.S. beef, which Washington has said is a prerequisite to its lawmakers passing the FTA.