SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea's ruling party-controlled parliament approved President Lee Myung-bak's choice for prime minister Monday, overriding opposition claims that he is unfit for the job because of his questionable ethical standards.

Opposition lawmakers have attacked the nominee, former Seoul National University professor Chung Un-chan, over his failure in the past to fully report his income to tax authorities and other alleged ethical lapses involving him and his family.

Also drawing fire were Chung's doubts about the efficiency of a project to move more than half of the government ministries away from Seoul _ a position that angered opposition lawmakers whose electoral districts stand to gain from the envisioned relocation.

But opposition parties did not have enough power to reject the nomination in a parliament controlled by the ruling Grand National Party, which holds more than a majority of seats. The GNP has 167 lawmakers in the 290-member, unicameral National Assembly.

Opposition parties boycotted Monday's vote in a gesture of protest.

Chung, 62, won his doctorate from Princeton University and had been an economics professor at Seoul National University for 30 years before he was nominated for the new job early this month.

Chung replaces outgoing Prime Minister Han Seung-soo in a cabinet shuffle ahead of parliamentary by-elections set for October.

The prime minister is the second-highest official, but is largely a ceremonial position.