"Coalition Government Troubles" Criticism, Ahn Cheol-soo Says "First Cabinet Formation Must Respect President-elect's Intent"

Ahn Cheol-soo, Chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee, is expressing his thoughts at a press conference commemorating the one-month official launch of the 20th Presidential Transition Committee held on the morning of the 18th at Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Transition Committee Press Corps

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] Ahn Cheol-soo, chairman of the Presidential Transition Committee, recently addressed criticism that the joint government plan is faltering amid cabinet appointments, stating, "Regarding the formation of the inaugural cabinet, I believe it is right to respect the president-elect's wishes."

On the 18th, at a press conference commemorating the one-month launch of the Transition Committee held at the committee's office in Tongui-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Chairman Ahn said, "(President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol) must have had a dream of becoming president and thoughts on how he wants to run the country," adding, "I thought it was right to respect that intention."

He continued, "I did not raise major objections just because the people I recommended were not appointed," and said, "I expressed my apologies to those I recommended, and since I could not just act as if nothing happened, I did not work for about a day."

Chairman Ahn drew a line regarding the practice of categorizing people by factions in the cabinet appointments. He said, "It does not seem desirable to define someone as belonging to a certain faction or to divide them by numbers," adding, "Rather, wouldn't a 21st-century joint government be one where people recommend each other and together select the best among them?"