Quorum of 11 Members and Two-Thirds Majority Required for Approval... Candidates Lee Chang-yang and Lee Young Likely to Join
[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] On the afternoon of the 12th, President Yoon Seok-yeol approved the appointment of Foreign Minister Park Jin and Minister of the Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min ahead of a temporary Cabinet meeting. Since the supplementary budget (supplementary budget) for COVID-19 loss compensation is urgently needed, this measure aims to fill the quorum required for the Cabinet meeting (a majority of 11 out of 20 Cabinet members) with as many current government officials as possible. As the National Assembly adopted the personnel hearing reports for Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy nominee Lee Chang-yang and Minister of SMEs and Startups nominee Lee Young on the same day, if President Yoon appoints them before the Cabinet meeting, it is expected that the first Cabinet meeting with the current government ministers will be possible.
A presidential office official told reporters at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul that President Yoon had made the ministerial appointments for candidates Park and Lee. Earlier, when asked by reporters on his way to work whether he planned to appoint ministers whose personnel hearing reports had not been adopted, President Yoon replied, "Only some today."
Accordingly, the current Cabinet members under the Yoon administration have increased to 10, including the president, seven ministers appointed on the 10th, and the two ministers Park and Lee appointed today. The Cabinet meeting can be convened with the attendance of a majority (11 members) and can pass agenda items with the approval of two-thirds (8 members) of those present. At least one more ministerial appointment is needed to convene the meeting. Some speculated that Moon Seung-wook, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration, might attend the Cabinet meeting.
However, since the National Assembly adopted the personnel hearing reports for Lee Chang-yang and Lee Young this morning, the possibility of additional appointments before the Cabinet meeting is gaining weight. A presidential office official said, "We will appoint as many ministers as possible today."
The main agenda of the Cabinet meeting on this day is the formulation of the second supplementary budget. The supplementary budget, estimated at 33 trillion won plus alpha, is expected to be approved to provide at least 6 million won each to 3.7 million small business owners and self-employed people affected by COVID-19. A presidential office official said, "This is an emergency temporary Cabinet meeting held when the first cabinet of the new government is not yet fully formed," and added, "Once the cabinet is completed with the cooperation of the Democratic Party, the first Cabinet meeting will be held at the promised Government Complex Sejong."
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