Lee orders revamp of appointees ' screening President Lee Myung - bak shakes hands with a participant at the International Union of Forest Research Organizations ( IUFRO ) World Congress in the COEX hall , southern Seoul , Monday . Earlier , the President called for tougher screening of political appointees as confirmation hearings continue at the National Assembly . / Korea Times photo by Wang Tae - seog By Na Jeong - juPresident Lee Myung - bak instructed his office Monday to toughen the screening of ethical qualifications of candidates for top government posts before recommending them as his nominations . The move came as some minister - nominees are coming under growing pressure to withdraw for their alleged engagement in property speculation , tax evasion and other wrongdoings in the past . “ We need to have higher moral standards for ministers and other senior officials , ” Lee said at a meeting with his secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae , according to Hong Sang - pyo , senior secretary for public relations . Some observers said Lee may cancel his nominations for a couple of ministerial posts in view of worsening public sentiment , but his aides ruled out such a possibility . “ Lee has reminded his staff of the principles they must keep in mind when selecting people for government posts , ” an aide said . “ He didn ’ t mean ethical suspicions against certain nominees . ” Earlier this month , the conservative leader conducted a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle to replace the prime minister , seven ministers and two minister - level officials . The National Assembly ’ s confirmation hearings for them are now under way . The main opposition Democratic Party claims most nominees have ethical problems . The nominations have even drawn criticism from some ruling party lawmakers . On Sunday , Shim Jae - chul , a three - term lawmaker of the Grand National Party , raised the question whether Cheong Wa Dae was aware of the ethical suspicions surrounding the minister - nominees . “ I wonder if the presidential office properly checked their qualifications , ” Shim said in a press release . “ The recent revelations of their wrongdoings are a wake - up call to the presidential office . ” Prime minister - nominee Kim Tae - ho , a former South Gyeongsang Province governor , is facing allegations that he accepted bribes from a convicted businessman during a visit to New York in April 2007 . The rapid growth of his personal wealth is also in question . His wealth reportedly grew tenfold between 2006 and 2009 while he was serving as governor . Opposition lawmakers also alleged that he allowed his wife to use his official vehicle for private purposes and had a female worker at his office do the housework at his residence for over three years . Kim has denied such claims and will clarify his positions at the confirmation hearings slated from Tuesday to Wednesday . Culture minister - nominee Shin Jae - min is also under fire for multiple corruption allegations . Government records show that he moved five times over the last 10 years and registered false home addresses in an effort to send his daughter to better schools . Shin apologized last week for the wrongdoings . He is also suspected of having engaged in property speculation in early 2000 s by using his wife ’ s name . The issue surrounding special affairs minister - nominee Lee Jae - oh , nicknamed the “ King ’ s Man ” for his close relationship with President Lee is whether he exerted his influence to help Nam Sang - tae , CEO of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering , secure a second term . The nominee Lee allegedly asked Nam to hire some of his aides . Lee denied such allegations in his confirmation hearing Monday . Education Minister - nominee Lee Joo - ho is also facing suspicions that he evaded taxes when he offered securities worth 40 million won to his daughter and published the same scholastic paper in two different journals . ( 4343 . 8 . 23 ) jj @ koreatimes . co . kr