Lee Jong Seok, 48, a top official at the National Security Council that oversees the nation's foreign and security policies, was appointed unification minister, the office of President Roh Moo Hyun announced Monday.

"Lee is an expert on North Korea," said Kim Wan Key, senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs, and "has played an important role in embodying the government's philosophy in foreign and security affairs."

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This week's reshuffle, which also affected three other Cabinet posts, was the first of what is billed as a two-part shake-up, apparently aimed at reshaping the image of Roh's government and his ruling Uri Party ahead of the mayoral and gubernatorial elections in May.

Chung Dong Young, a popular television anchor-turned-politician, quit as unification minister last week so that he could focus on campaigning for the ruling party ahead of the May elections.

Chung is considered one of the most likely candidates for the 2007 presidential election to succeed Roh. A rival for the job, Kim Geun Tae, also resigned last week - he was health minister - to return to campaigning for the party.

The ruling camp's popularity has been low amid public discontent over stagnant job growth, rising housing prices and unsatisfactory reforms. In two rounds of by-elections last year, the party lost 27-0 to opposition parties.

Also replaced in Monday's Cabinet reshuffle were ministers for science, industry and labor.

Former presidential chief of staff Kim Woo Sik was named science minister; Chung Sye Kyun, the ruling party's floor leader, the minister for commerce, industry and energy; and former ruling party legislator Lee Sang Soo labor minister.

Their appointments are subject to approval by parliament after confirmation hearings, a new measure that took effect this year.

New Unification Minister Lee, a respected expert on the North, is considered an architect of Roh's policy on the communist state. He is reform- minded and supports engagement with North Korea, but critics accuse him of being pro-Pyongyang.

The unification minister represents Seoul in Cabinet-level talks with North Korea, the highest inter-Korean dialogue channel between the states. The meetings convene several times a year to discuss measures to boost exchanges and ease tension across the world's most heavily fortified border.

Relations have warmed significantly since the first summit of the two countries' leaders in 2000. Lee accompanied then president Kim Dae Jung on the historic trip to Pyongyang to meet leader Kim Jong Il. Tension persists, however, because of the North's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

In September, Pyongyang agreed in principle to give up its nuclear ambitions in exchange for aid and security assurances. But follow-up negotiations have stalled as the North put forward new conditions for disarming - such as its demand for nuclear reactors for power generation - which the US says are unacceptable.

The nuclear talks - which involve the two Koreas, the US, China, Japan and Russia - recessed in November. Participants agreed to meet again but did not set a date.

The two Koreas technically remain in a state of conflict because the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. ASSOCIATED PRESS