ID :
209649
Tue, 09/27/2011 - 09:59
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/209649
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(2nd LD) Commerce minister offers to resign
SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- Choi Joong-kyung, minister of knowledge economy, offered to step down Tuesday, taking responsibility for nationwide blackouts earlier in the month, a government official said.
The minister in charge of energy affairs offered his resignation to President Lee Myung-bak after a cabinet meeting, according to Park Cheong-won, a spokesman for the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
"Minister Choi offered to step down today and plans to submit his official resignation to the presidential chief of staff before the end of today," Park told reporters.
The president apparently accepted the offer, saying it was regrettable that Choi had to take "moral responsibility" though he is not directly accountable, according to presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha.
Still, Lee told Choi to continue carrying out his duties as minister until his successor is appointed.
Choi's resignation offer came one day after the prime minister's office concluded after a weeklong investigation that government mistakes and "miscalculations" led to the massive blackouts that affected over 2 million homes across the nation on Sept. 15.
The Korea Power Exchange (KPX) said the country's electricity reserve had dropped to what it called "dangerously low levels" as unseasonably high temperatures pushed up demand to unexpected levels, forcing it to alternately cut off power supplies to tens of thousands of households at a time throughout the country.
Observers expected the minister's offer to step down was imminent as he had said he would not try to cling to his government post once he fixed the problems identified in the incident.
Many believe the incident may force the government in the near future to significantly raise electricity prices as the country regularly faces the danger of a national blackout during high demand seasons. The Sept. 15 blackout was largely caused by many of the country's power plants, including nuclear reactors, being temporarily shut down for maintenance ahead of the cold season.
A former head of the country's sole electricity provider, Kim Ssang-su had repeatedly claimed that low electricity prices were partly to blame for the country's increasing electricity use, especially among businesses. Kim recently stepped down from his post at the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) at the end of his three-year term.
The country's electricity tariff, on average, represents about 90 percent of production costs, even after three price increases in the past three years. The price for industrial use, however, reflects only about 70 percent of the costs, according to KEPCO.
The government is taking damage claims from individuals and private companies until next Tuesday. More than 3,000 claims have been filed so far, seeking over 17 billion won (US$14.4 million), according to the ministry.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
The minister in charge of energy affairs offered his resignation to President Lee Myung-bak after a cabinet meeting, according to Park Cheong-won, a spokesman for the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
"Minister Choi offered to step down today and plans to submit his official resignation to the presidential chief of staff before the end of today," Park told reporters.
The president apparently accepted the offer, saying it was regrettable that Choi had to take "moral responsibility" though he is not directly accountable, according to presidential spokesman Park Jeong-ha.
Still, Lee told Choi to continue carrying out his duties as minister until his successor is appointed.
Choi's resignation offer came one day after the prime minister's office concluded after a weeklong investigation that government mistakes and "miscalculations" led to the massive blackouts that affected over 2 million homes across the nation on Sept. 15.
The Korea Power Exchange (KPX) said the country's electricity reserve had dropped to what it called "dangerously low levels" as unseasonably high temperatures pushed up demand to unexpected levels, forcing it to alternately cut off power supplies to tens of thousands of households at a time throughout the country.
Observers expected the minister's offer to step down was imminent as he had said he would not try to cling to his government post once he fixed the problems identified in the incident.
Many believe the incident may force the government in the near future to significantly raise electricity prices as the country regularly faces the danger of a national blackout during high demand seasons. The Sept. 15 blackout was largely caused by many of the country's power plants, including nuclear reactors, being temporarily shut down for maintenance ahead of the cold season.
A former head of the country's sole electricity provider, Kim Ssang-su had repeatedly claimed that low electricity prices were partly to blame for the country's increasing electricity use, especially among businesses. Kim recently stepped down from his post at the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) at the end of his three-year term.
The country's electricity tariff, on average, represents about 90 percent of production costs, even after three price increases in the past three years. The price for industrial use, however, reflects only about 70 percent of the costs, according to KEPCO.
The government is taking damage claims from individuals and private companies until next Tuesday. More than 3,000 claims have been filed so far, seeking over 17 billion won (US$14.4 million), according to the ministry.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
