South Korea names moderate to deal with North affairs

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Myung-bak named a career diplomat as his minister for dealing with communist North Korea on Sunday after his first nominee for the job had to withdraw over accusations of misconduct.

The nomination of Kim Ha-joong as Unification Minister came after Nam Joo-hong, a college professor, pulled out under accusations of past unethical conduct and criticism that he was too tough on the North.

Kim, seen as a moderate, is currently Seoul's ambassador to Beijing.

Lee, who took office last Monday, had pledged during the campaign to take a tougher line with the country's reclusive communist neighbor than his liberal predecessors and had sought to close down the Unification Ministry altogether before eventually relenting.

The Unification Ministry is responsible for improving ties with the North including aid flows and humanitarian projects for the impoverished neighbor.

Kim's involvement in six-country negotiations in Beijing on stopping the North's nuclear programs and his role in handling the flow of North Korean refugees into China will be valuable assets for the job, presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said.

Cabinet nominees go through parliamentary hearings but do not require approval by the legislature.

(Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)