President Park Geun-hye's partial Cabinet shake-up brings two ministers back to next general election and more changes to the ruling party.
On Monday, Park nominated Kang Ho-in, former chief of the Public Procurement Service, as transport minister, and Vice Maritime Minister Kim Young-suk to lead the ministry, according to presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
Maritime Minister Yoo Ki-june and Minister of Land, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Yoo Il-ho were both appointed by Park earlier this year while holding parliamentary seats.
The two three-term lawmakers have recently hinted at running for re-election in parliamentary race in April.
Under South Korea's government system, a lawmaker can hold a Cabinet post without giving up his parliamentary seat. He or she must, however, resign from public office 90 days before elections.
Since the next election is set for April 13, candidates must step down by Jan. 14 at the latest.
Other Cabinet members -- Finance Minister Choi-kyung-hwan, Education Minister Hwang Woo-yea and Equality Minister Kim Hee-jung -- who have also hinted at running for the election, however, remained in office.
Political experts speculate that Choi and Hwang will stay put at least until the end of this year's National Assembly's regular session.
Choi, who doubles as deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs, is likely to stay on until next year's budget is passed by parliament.
Parliament has until Dec. 2 to pass the budget bill, although lawmakers have usually not been able to meet the deadline.
Hwang, who doubles as deputy prime minister for social affairs, also faces an important mission after the government announced a decision to reintroduce a single history textbook for secondary students.
The government is under pressure to finish writing textbooks for middle and high school students before the start of the 2017 academic year.
The return of two ministers -- both are Park's closest confidants -- to the ruling Saenuri Party will affect the power structure within the party, according to the experts.
The Saenuri has recently been mired in the feud between party leader Kim Moo-sung and the faction loyal to Park over a recent deal on how to select candidates for general elections in April.
The deal, struck between Kim and his opposition counterpart, Moon Jae-in, calls for the selection of candidates by taking into account opinion polls through mobile phones. (Yonhap)
