Government Ministry Mergers and Abolitions, Cheongwadae Organization Restructuring Also Pledged
Hong Joon-pyo, the People Power Party's presidential primary candidate, is announcing his "Political Reform" pledge on the morning of the 29th at the Yeouido campaign office in Seoul. 2021.10.29 Photo by National Assembly Press Photographers [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential candidate from the People Power Party, has called for a constitutional amendment as a campaign pledge. He envisions introducing a 4-year renewable presidential term and a bicameral legislature. He also proposed a series of bold measures, including abolishing the High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Unit established by the current administration.
On the 29th, Hong held a press conference at his presidential campaign office in Yeouido, Seoul, announcing seven major political reform pledges, stating, "We will start a political and administrative overhaul to open an era of advanced nations."
The core of his plan is constitutional amendment and reform of investigative agencies. He said, "We will prepare a presidential-initiated constitutional amendment and promote it as a pledge for the 2024 general election," promising the introduction of a 4-year renewable presidential term and a bicameral legislature. He explained that the upper and lower houses would have 50 and 150 members respectively, and that the proportional representation system would be abolished.
He also pledged a major reorganization of the Blue House structure. "I will create a government where the cabinet takes responsibility," he said, explaining that state affairs would be managed centered on ministries, with only the Secretariat and the Future Strategy Office remaining at the Blue House, where the president would directly oversee future strategic tasks. Aiming for a "small government," he also promised to consolidate existing government ministries into about 13 to 14 departments.
Regarding this, Hong explained to reporters, "Under the 5-year single-term presidential system, we have not been able to establish or implement long-term national tasks or future strategies for over 30 years," and about the Blue House reorganization plan, he said, "Among all Blue House functions, the main function must be based on future long-term strategy, so we intend to merge the current National Security Office and Policy Office into the Future Strategy Office."
He also rebutted calls for a "parliamentary system constitutional amendment," saying, "Since the National Assembly is currently the least trusted among all administrative or government agencies, a parliamentary system amendment would only be a power-sharing scheme, so it is impossible."
Hong also proposed reforms to investigative agencies. He plans to make the National Investigation Headquarters independent as a "Korean-style FBI" and unify all investigative functions under the "National Investigation Bureau." The existing High-ranking Officials’ Crime Investigation Unit would be abolished, and the prosecution would only exercise supplementary investigative functions to maintain public prosecution.
Given the boldness of these proposals, reporters flooded him with questions after the announcement. When asked about the fate of the Blue House Special Inspection Unit and whether the National Investigation Headquarters would serve as a check on the president, Hong said, "The president only needs to set governance principles; it is inappropriate to comment on or direct investigations of individual cases," adding, "All investigative functions will be carried out under the responsibility of the head of the newly established National Investigation Headquarters."
When asked about the "selection and appointment of the head of the National Investigation Headquarters," he declined to answer, calling it a "detailed matter."
Regarding the apparent contradiction between his pledge to reform investigative agencies and his statement that he would arrest his rival, Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party presidential candidate, if elected, he explained, "Currently, the Democratic Party holds 180 seats in the National Assembly, so this pledge will not be accepted," adding, "The reorganization into the National Investigation Headquarters will take place around the time of the constitutional amendment." He also stated that immediately after winning, he would "request strict investigations from investigative agencies."
Additionally, his plan includes reorganizing the national administrative districts into about 40 autonomous local governments and changing the current central-metropolitan-basic administrative structure into a central-local system. He also proposed grouping 3 to 5 basic local governments to develop administrative hubs for regional development.
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