KARUNA SHINSHO, CNN ANCHOR: South Korea is making moves to restore the public's confidence in its government. Today, President Kim Dae-jung announced the appointment of several new ministers in his Cabinet. Sohn Jie-Ae takes a closer look.</s>SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): South Korean President Kim Dae-jung realigned his Cabinet with five new ministers, including a head of the Unification Ministry to handle North Korean affairs. The new unification minister is Hong Soon-young, who is being recalled from his position as South Korea's ambassador to China. Hong was foreign minister in the earlier years of President Kim's, and was known as a supporter of actively engaging the North, Kim's so-called Sunshine Policy. President Kim also named new ministers for agriculture, labor, construction and transportation, and maritime and fisheries. Upon hearing of his appointment, Hong sounded more concerned than excited.</s>HONG SOON-YOUNG, SOUTH KOREAN UNIFICATION MINISTER: It is a very responsible mission, and it is with a heavy heart that I</s>SOHN: Relations between the two Koreas has stalled for more than six months, as the North awaited the Bush administration in Washington to formulate it's North Korean policy. The Cabinet reshuffle was sparked by Monday's South Korean parliament's no confidence vote against the former unification minister, Lim Dong-won, who was considered a key proponent of the Sunshine Policy. One of the new unification minister's first tasks you will be to redeem the mood reconciliation brought on by an historic summit between the leaders of South and North Korea last year. Hong will be heading the Southern delegation in a ministerial meeting between the two Koreas scheduled to begin, in Seoul, September 15. Sohn Jie-Ae, CNN, Seoul.
South Korean President Appoints New Cabinet Ministers