ⓒYONHAP News

President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol has appointed two veteran politicians to lead his special transition committee panels on national unity and balanced regional development.

Yoon announced on Monday that Kim Han-gil, a former ruling Democratic Party(DP) leader, will head the national unity committee. Kim Byong-joon, the former interim chief of the Liberty Korea Party that preceded the main opposition People Power Party, will lead the balanced development panel.

There are expectations that the former DP leader will achieve national unity that brings together different generations and social classes, while the ex-interim chief is expected to set the big picture for balanced regional development based on his experience and expertise.

Both long-time politicians were involved in Yoon's campaign, having served under previous liberal administrations of Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, respectively.

The latest appointments come after Yoon named minor opposition People's Party chief Ahn Cheol-soo, with whom he had merged candidacies ahead of last Wednesday's presidential election, as the chairperson of the transition team.

Yoon also announced he will eliminate the presidential office's inspection and intelligence-gathering duties and abolish the office of senior secretary for civil affairs.

According to Yoon's spokesperson Kim Eun-hye on Monday, the president-elect made the remarks during a meeting with his transition team leaders, including chairperson Ahn Cheol-soo.

Yoon said the civil affairs office has too often been used to control opposition political forces and to conduct secret investigations into civilians.

Dissolving the office was one of Yoon's campaign pledges on administrative reform.

Later in the week, a planned meeting between Yoon and President Moon Jae-in was canceled.

Presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee and Yoon's office said on Wednesday that the meeting has been called off as working-level pre-meeting discussions have not yet been completed. Park said the meeting will be rescheduled.

The two sides added they will continue working-level discussions.

Yoon and Moon were set to hold a one-on-one luncheon meeting at 12 p.m. on Wednesday at the top office in their first face-to-face meeting since the presidential election.

In the meeting, Yoon was expected to ask for a special pardon for former President Lee Myung-bak, who is serving a 17-year prison sentence for embezzlement and bribery.