It is reported that President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol is strongly considering whether to force the appointment of a ministerial candidate from the 12th if the National Assembly does not approve the Prime Minister Han Deok-soo candidate. If the Democratic Party persists in refusing to adopt the progress report of some ministerial candidates, including one candidate, the appointment will be enforced from the moment Yoon-elect took office.
On the 8th, a key official from Yoon-elect’s side said, “There is a high possibility that President-elect Yoon requested the Prime Minister’s approval for a candidate on the 10th, the day of his inauguration, and then waits for one day on the 11th.” From the 12th, the appointment of a minister can be enforced.” If the National Assembly does not vote to approve a candidate, Prime Minister Kim Bu-gyeom suggests that Choo Kyung-ho, deputy prime minister of economy and Minister of Strategy and Finance, for whom the hearing report has already been adopted, is appointed, and then candidate Chu acts as the prime minister to exercise the right to make the proposal. explanation.
Earlier, President-elect Yoon requested the National Assembly to resend the hearing report by the 9th for ministers whose hearing reports have not been adopted, such as Minister of Health and Welfare Nominee Jeong Ho-young. If the ruling and opposition parties do not adopt the hearing report by the 9th, the president can appoint a ministerial candidate at any time following that. In response, Yoon’s representative said, “From the 12th, it is possible to appoint ministerial candidates that the Democratic Party opposes, but it is unclear whether all the ministerial candidates will be enforced. explained that
It is analyzed that the fact that President-elect Yoon started to force the appointment is also related to the additional supplementary budget (additional budget) to support the damage caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). “There is a possibility that an extraordinary cabinet meeting will be held as early as the 13th to decide on the supplementary budget bill and submit it to the National Assembly immediately,” said Yoon’s representative. The plan is to hold the first cabinet meeting to deal with COVID-19 damage support, which Yoon-elect has strong will, in the presence of ministers appointed by the new government, rather than ministers from the Moon Jae-in government, if possible. However, if President-elect Yoon proceeds to force the appointment of a minister, there is a possibility that the vacancy of the prime minister will continue for a considerable period of time due to opposition from the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party strongly criticized Yoon’s move to force the appointment. On the same day, floor spokeswoman Lee Su-jin said, “We are in the process of enforcing the appointment of a ‘Giga-chan (Corporate and Family Chance) Cabinet’ by requesting the retransmission of the hearing report for the ministerial candidates. They are forcing them to take responsibility.”
Reporter Joo-Young Jeon aimhigh@donga.com
By Park Hoon-sang, reporter tigermask@donga.com