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The new government will be inaugurated without a full Cabinet as wrangles continue over president-elect Lee Myung-bak¡¯s government reform plans. In an ironic twist, the current Cabinet will take control of the inauguration process. The new government is expected to remain in partial limbo until the fate of six ministries subject to disbandment or merger can be decided, which may not be for months.
The Lee and Roh Moo-hyun cabinets may have to cohabit until late February or March 9, when the confirmation hearings on Lee¡¯s ministerial nominees are completed. The ministries subject to projected disbandment or merger will likely remain in headless existence until the government reform plan gets approval from the next parliament in June after the April general election.
¨ç Current ministers will stay in posts for the time being
In a telephone interview with the Chosun Ilbo on Tuesday, Bahk Jae-wan, the designated senior presidential secretary for political affairs, said, "The ministers of the current administration will remain in their posts for up to two weeks until after parliamentary hearings on the Cabinet nominees are completed. They will handle government matters in Cabinet meetings and daily business at their respective ministries."
A member of the presidential Transition Committee said in a meeting on Sunday, Lee probably asked Roh ¡°for cooperation in this regard."
¨è Six ministries in limbo
With no new ministers nominated as they are subject to disbandment or merger, six ministries -- of information and communication, of science and technology, of unification, of maritime affairs and fisheries, of gender equality and family, and of planning and budget -- remain in limbo. Officials at the ministries of information and communication and of science and technology, which are sure to be merged, are reportedly on pins and needles. Unless the ruling and opposition parties reach an agreement on the government reform plan, the paralysis of government functions will likely continue until after the April general election.
The ministries will probably be managed by vice ministers under indirect supervision of the prime minister-designate or ministers-designate for the time being. Nonetheless, it will still be difficult to fill the vacuum in government or prevent public servants from getting restless. A Lee aide said, "With ruling and opposition parties continuing negotiations over the government reform plan, it's still hard for me to talk about whether the current ministers will leave soon or whether vice ministers will work on their behalf."
The ministries of unification and of gender equality and family will inevitably be managed indirectly by the two nominees for ministers without portfolios, Nam Joo-hong and Lee Choon-ho, for the time being.
¨éCheong Wa Dae system remains
The president elect will have to work under the current Cheong Wa Dae system, as the reform program for the presidential secretariat and the presidential security office has not yet been approved. Bahk said Yu Woo-ik will be appointed presidential chief of staff and Kim In-chong as presidential chief of security under the current regulations. The posts of the chief presidential secretary for national policy and the chief presidential secretary for unification, diplomatic and security affairs will remain vacant for the time being.
The restructuring of the office of the presidential chief of security is subject to the revision of laws. But the other offices at Cheong Wa Dae, such as those of senior presidential secretaries, don't require such a revision, and the Transition Committee decided to appoint seven senior presidential secretaries and one presidential spokesman as planned.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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