Raised a Glass but... 'Office Relocation' Contingency Fund Proposal Seems Difficult to Pass

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy reporters Lee Ji-eun and Na Ju-seok] Despite the dinner meeting between President Moon Jae-in and President-elect Yoon Seok-youl, it is expected to be difficult to approve the contingency budget for the office relocation at the Cabinet meeting until the end of the current administration's term. Although President Moon expressed, in response to President-elect Yoon's request for assistance with the office relocation, that he would "carefully review and cooperate," the Blue House strongly maintains that a concrete plan to resolve the security gap must be established first.

A senior Blue House official said on the 29th, "It is essential to accurately establish a plan, including the security gap caused by the tight relocation deadline of May 10," adding, "President Moon's statement means 'we will carefully review the budget according to an accurate relocation plan and cooperate.'

Earlier, Chief of Staff Jang Je-won stated at the dinner that President Moon expressed willingness to cooperate regarding the budget for the Yongsan office relocation, but the Blue House explained that this is conditional on resolving the security gap issue. A Blue House official expressed concern, saying, "If we (the government) approve the contingency budget despite the ongoing security gap factors, we could become the party responsible for causing the security gap."

Accordingly, unless the president-elect's side presents a plan to resolve the security gap, it is unlikely that the contingency budget for the office relocation will be submitted at the Cabinet meeting. The transition team also revealed that procedural discussions on whether to submit the contingency budget to the Cabinet meeting did not take place during the meeting.

Across party lines, there is a view that for President Moon to actively cooperate on the relocation issue, the security gap problem must be resolved first. Im Tae-hee, a special advisor to the president-elect who served as Chief of Staff during the Lee Myung-bak administration, appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the same day and said, "The Blue House seems to think that the process involving the sequential relocation of the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff is not simple when examined closely," adding, "Since the president-elect's side said they would complete all procedures by May 9, if they present how they reached that agreement through consultations, the responsible parties will review it carefully." He further interpreted, "If it is sufficiently agreed upon, it means budget support will be provided without any issues."

Yoon Ho-jung, the emergency committee chairman of the Democratic Party of Korea, also appeared on CBS Radio's 'Kim Hyun-jung's News Show' and said, "I think a decision will be made in a way that does not create security instability during President Moon's term," adding, "(The Democratic Party) has been concerned about the rapid relocation to the Ministry of National Defense within a very short time, and if a plan to overcome such concerns is presented, we do not intend to raise any objections."

However, the possibility of both sides finding a dramatic compromise cannot be ruled out. The transition team is also viewing positively the fact that President Moon has at least expressed willingness to cooperate.