SEOUL, March 2 (Xinhuanet) -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun carried out a minor cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, replacing four ministers.

    Roh named new ministers for the Information and Communication Ministry, Government Administration Ministry, Maritime Affairs Ministry and Culture and Tourism Ministry, according to South Korean Presidential Office.

    Vice minister of the Information and Communication Ministry, Rho Jun-hyong, was promoted to the post of minister, replacing the outgoing minister Chin Dae-je.

    Lee Yong-sup, senior presidential secretary for process and performance management, was named to replace Oh Young-kyo as new minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs.

    Fifty-five-year-old Lee had served as commissioner of the National Tax Service for two years before working at the Presidential Office.

    Kim Myong-gon, former executive director of the National Theater of (South) Korea, was appointed the new minister of Culture and Tourism, succeeding Chung Dong-chae.

    Kim Sung-jin, administrator of the Small and Medium Business Administration, was nominated new minister of Maritime affairs and Fisheries to replace Oh Keo-don.

    Excluding Chung, the three outgoing ministers -- Chin Dae-je, Oh Young-kyo and Oh Keo-don - quit their cabinet posts to run in the May 31 local elections for mayoral, gubernatorial and local councilor positions nationwide.

    The four newly nominated ministers will took office after hearings of the National Assembly later this month.

    Contrary to expectations, Environment Minister Lee Jae-yong, who was widely reported to run for the mayoral post of South Korean third largest city of Daegu, was not affected by Thursday's reshuffle.

    "The new environment minister will be announced, along with new heads of the Fair Trade Commission and the Bank of Korea, around March 15 after President Roh returns from his African trip," said Kim Wan-key, senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs.

    However, Kim Wan-key disclosed the new environment minister will be a woman.

    Earlier this year, Roh already replaced five cabinet members, including former Unification Minister Chung Dong-young and Welfare and Health Minister Kim Geun-tae. The two ministers left the cabinet and returned to the ruling Uri Party to race for the head of the party.

    Chung was elected as chairman again of the governing party in February in its national general meeting. Enditem