Lee, Yoon agree president has too much power, disagree on details

At left is Lee Jae-myung of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea and on the right is Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition conservative People Power Party during a rehearsal for the second TV debate among four presidential candidates, held by local broadcaster MBN in central Seoul, Feb. 11. Joint Press Corps

This article is the second in a series about the 2022 presidential election candidates' campaign pledges. In this article, their pledges for political reforms are examined and compared. ―ED

By Jung Da-min

The two leading presidential candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), share the view that under the current scheme, too much power is given to the president.

So they have both vowed to diffuse power to make the presidential office more effective in handling and overseeing state affairs. Despite their shared views, Lee and Yoon differ in terms of the details of their plans for political reform.

On presidential terms

If elected, Lee said that he would push ahead with a constitutional revision to allow presidents to serve two terms. Under the current law, those who win the presidential election stay in power for five years and reelection is not allowed. Lee pledged to revise the law to cut the presidential term from five to four years while allowing incumbent presidents to seek reelection once.

"I will seek to shorten the presidential term, if needed, and introduce a four-year presidential term and two-term presidency," Lee said during a press conference in Seoul's Myeong-dong area to present his political reform pledges, Feb. 14.

He made it clear that the candidate who wins this March 9 election would be excluded from this proposed reform, according to the current Constitution, noting that if elected, he would not be eligible to seek reelection.

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, speaks during a campaign stop in front of Bujeon Station in Busan's Busanjin District, Feb. 15. Joint Press Corps

Yoon, however, disagreed with this plan. He said that he would not consider a constitutional reform to introduce a two-term presidency.

"Constitutional reform requires a consensus among the public. The Constitution is the primary law above all other laws," he told reporters on Jan. 19 when asked for his views of Lee's proposal.

On presidential power

The two candidates agree on the need to reduce the power currently vested in the presidency.

Yoon vowed to reshuffle the presidential office to make a smaller but more effective team to handle state affairs, while giving more power to the cabinet ministries so that they can respond more effectively when a crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic occurs.

Unveiling his plans for a complete reshuffle of the presidential office during a press conference held Jan. 27 at the party's headquarters in Seoul, the PPP candidate was critical of Cheong Wa Dae for having too much power.

Yoon said that he will no longer use the name "Cheong Wa Dae" (Korean for "Blue House") for the presidential office, in a symbolic move to abolish the past authoritarian image of the presidential office.

Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, greets his supporters at a local market in Gwangju's Gwangsan District, Feb. 16. Joint Press Corps

In another symbolic move towards forming a smaller but more effective presidential office, Yoon also pledged to relocate the presidential office from its current site to the Government Complex Seoul near Gwanghwamun Square to better communicate with members of the public, while returning the current Cheong Wa Dae site to the people.

"If I am elected as the next president, the current Cheong Wa Dae organization will disappear. Instead, a completely new concept of the presidential office with a whole new organization and decision-making process will be introduced," Yoon said.

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"The Cheong Wa Dae site could be used as a history museum or a public park. The decision of how it might be used will be made based on a consensus between the public and experts, and would require discussions on how to use the symbolic site," he said.

Meanwhile, Lee has vowed to empower the office to fulfill its commitment to representing the Korean public.

Lee said that he will give the National Assembly the right to recommend the country's prime minister, while giving the prime minister more authority, such as the right to nominate ministers or cabinet members. Currently, the president nominates the prime minister as well as other cabinet members and the National Assembly holds confirmation hearings. But the hearings are not binding as the president can go ahead with appointing nominees, even without the National Assembly's approval.

Major presidential candidates pose before their TV debate at broadcaster MBN's studio in central Seoul, Feb. 11. From left are Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party, Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party and Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party. Joint Press Corps

Lee also vowed to reform the electoral system to expand proportional representation in the National Assembly.

He said that he will also ban the creation of satellite parties, a tactic that major parties have used to get more proportional seats. In the April 2020 general elections, both the DPK and the PPP created satellite parties to win more seats, which prompted criticism from other minor parties and members of the public.

"I promise that we, the DPK, will lay down the privilege we have enjoyed as a major party in the two-party system," Lee said.

As a result of the two-party system, he said, "The people are forced to choose the lesser of two evils, which has led to repeated administrative failures rising from discord and bipartisan attacks, while making competition in good faith impossible."

The two other minor opposition candidates, Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party and Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party, have also rolled out their plans for political reform.

Ahn Cheol-soo, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition conservative People's Party, speaks during a campaign stop near Banwoldang Station in Daegu's Jung District, Feb. 15. Yonhap

Ahn pledged that if elected, he would undergo a mid-term evaluation during his presidential term, saying that he would step down if he did not have more than 50 percent support from the public at that time.

Ahn has also vowed to relocate the presidential office to the Government Complex to work near Gwanghwamun Square and improve communications with members of the public, while using Cheong Wa Dae for other political events.

Sim has pledged to give more authority to the cabinet and the prime minister, while downsizing the current Cheong Wa Dae to have a smaller staff.

She also vowed to create a multiparty system through electoral reforms to expand proportional representation, by changing the relevant laws of the negotiating body to facilitate minor parties' participation in the legislative decision-making process.

Sim Sang-jung, the presidential candidate of the minor opposition progressive Justice Party, shakes hands with a commuter during her campaigning near in front of a local company in Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province, Feb. 16. Courtesy of the Justice Party

Fate of gender equality and family ministry

In the meantime, the candidates have also differed on the controversial issue of whether or not to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family.

Yoon ignited the debate questioning the necessity of the ministry, vowing to abolish it.
His campaign pledge was welcomed by young male voters who thought that the existence of the ministry, which aims to pursue gender equality in order to improve the status of women, amounts to "reverse discrimination" because there is no counterpart ministry promoting "men's rights."

Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition conservative People Power Party, cheers with his supporters during his campaigning in Busan's Busanjin District, Feb. 15. Joint Press Corps

Lee's stance on the issue has been one of strategic ambiguity.

Without providing a clear-cut response, Lee said that he would reshuffle the ministry to guarantee equal rights to both women and men better, but he criticized Yoon for fomenting gender divisions.

Ahn said that the ministry needs a complete reorganization as it has faced many limitations in terms of its role and functions. But he indirectly criticized Yoon's election pledge to abolish the ministry completely by condemning some political groups' attempts to stir up divisions and conflict to serve only their own interests.

Sim said that she would in fact strengthen the role and functions of the ministry to protect the rights of both women and men. She criticized Yoon for pursuing a populist campaign strategy rather than presenting a genuine idea that benefits the public's welfare.

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, pose with young supporters in front of Express Bus Terminal in Seocho District, southern Seoul, Feb. 15. Joint Press Corps