[News Terms] What Is the Presidential Policy Chief?

Yoon Administration Establishes Presidential Policy Office, Appoints Lee Gwan-seop
Presidential Policy Office's Status Varied Across Past Governments
Kim Dae-gi Served as Chief Secretary, MB as Presidential Policy Office Chief

The most notable feature of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's reorganization of the Presidential Office is the revival of the Chief Policy Officer position (ministerial level). Lee Kwan-seop, Senior Secretary for National Planning, who has extensive public service and practical experience as the First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association, has been entrusted with the important role of Yoon Suk-yeol's first Chief Policy Officer.

The Presidential Office is now expected to operate under a three-chief system consisting of Chief Secretary Kim Dae-gi, Chief Policy Officer Lee Kwan-seop, and the currently vacant National Security Office Chief position. For non-security areas, the political affairs, public relations, and civil society sectors will be managed by Chief Secretary Kim Dae-gi. The economic, social, and science and technology sectors will be overseen by Chief Policy Officer Lee Kwan-seop.

While the Chief Secretary of the President’s Office holds a higher symbolic status in terms of politics and political affairs, the status of Chief Policy Officer Lee Kwan-seop, who oversees economic and social policies, is also expected to be significant.

Lee Gwansub, the newly appointed Chief of Policy Office at the Presidential Office, is expressing his appointment remarks on the 30th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Presidential Policy Office is a ministerial-level position created during the Roh Moo-hyun administration to assist the president in policy matters. It serves as a control tower that encompasses government policies and oversees national agenda tasks. During the Park Geun-hye administration, the Chief Policy Officer position was abolished, and its functions were consolidated under the Chief Secretary. Although the Chief Secretary’s role became more powerful, there were voices expressing regret over the absence of a Chief Policy Officer.

The Lee Myung-bak administration initially did not have a separate Chief Policy Officer but revived the position in 2009 during the process of integrating and coordinating policy areas. Interestingly, Kim Dae-gi, the current Chief Secretary, served as the Presidential Chief Policy Officer during the Lee Myung-bak administration. Kim Dae-gi is well aware of the role of Chief Policy Officer Lee Kwan-seop and the importance of the Policy Office.

During the Moon Jae-in administration, the Policy Office was emphasized similarly to the Roh Moo-hyun era, and the Blue House was operated with a focus on it. Economists and economic officials such as Jang Ha-sung, Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Sang-jo, and Lee Ho-seung were appointed to key positions. They led major economic and real estate policies but also became the center of criticism and controversy.

The Yoon Suk-yeol administration initially did not have a separate Chief Policy Officer but has now activated the Lee Kwan-seop system. This role oversees most policies except for some ministries such as foreign affairs, security, and justice. As the Yoon Suk-yeol administration approaches its third year in power in May next year, it is a time when the fruition of major national agenda tasks is required.

The evaluation of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s mid-term governance is expected to vary depending on the smooth landing of the newly launched Presidential Policy Office.