South Korean President Park Geun-hye nominated Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn as the new prime minister Thursday after his predecessor resigned over an alleged bribery scandal. Hwang, 58, is Park's sixth choice for the job since taking over as President in 2013.
In the past two years, her three nominees have withdrawn amid allegations of personal improprieties and her initial prime minister Chung Hong-won then resigned after the Sewol ferry disaster, Reuters reported.
Presidential office press secretary Kim Sung-woo said in a televised briefing that under present conditions, it is very important to achieve political reform by eliminating any corruption and irregularities.
He further added that nominee Hwang went through major prosecution posts while he has been serving as the justice minister since the launch of the Park Geun-hye government with deep understanding of Park's political philosophy, according to Yonhap news agency.
"Which makes him a well-qualified person to uproot corruption and irregularities across society to make a new Korea and achieve political reform," Kim said.
The Prime Minister's post in Korea has been vacant for nearly a month after former premier Lee Wan-koo resigned over allegations that he had received 30 million won ($28,000) in bribes from businessman Sung Woan-jong who committed suicide.
However, Lee had strongly denied the allegations and said that he would kill himself if allegations against him proved true, according to Xinhua News.
Hwang was appointed Justice Minister in March 2013 after Park Geun-hye took the president's office. He was chief prosecutor at the time of his retirement in 2011.
Following the announcement, Hwang said he felt a deep sense of responsibility.
"If I am given the opportunity to serve as the Prime Minister, I will make every effort to help the nation overcome current difficulties and make a leap forward," Hwang said, Arirang News reported. "More than anything, I will focus on revitalizing the economy and stabilizing the people's livelihoods in order to rehabilitate the country."
