The Democratic Party of Korea has confirmed that in preparing the government organization restructuring plan, it will not move the Resource Industry Policy Bureau and Nuclear Power Industry Policy Bureau from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to the newly established Ministry of Climate and Energy. However, ruling party members of the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee are reportedly opposing this, indicating there could be changes in the final plan.
The Democratic Party held a closed policy meeting on the afternoon of the 3rd, where it unveiled the government organization restructuring plan prepared by the party and government. This meeting was designed to gather opinions from members before finalizing the plan at a high-level party-government meeting on the 7th. The Democratic Party plans to address the government organization law amendment at the plenary session on September 25.
The meeting primarily discussed the abolition of the prosecutor's office and the establishment of the new Serious Crimes Investigation Agency, but the restructuring plan of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the improvement measures for the Korea Communications Commission were also discussed. In particular, there were significant differences of opinion among lawmakers regarding the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy.
According to a report from ChosunBiz, the Ministry of Climate and Energy will be created by merging energy-related organizations under the second vice minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy into the Ministry of Environment. However, the draft includes retaining the Resource Industry Policy Bureau and Nuclear Power Industry Policy Bureau in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy instead of moving them entirely. This suggests it may be better to keep them under the Ministry, which oversees industrial policies related to nuclear power exports and the energy industry.
It has been reported that ruling party lawmakers have expressed opposition to the draft proposal that would effectively separate the energy-related organizations under the second vice minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. All members, including the ruling party's secretary of the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee, Kim Won-i, have reportedly voiced their dissent.
One member of the ruling party's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee said, "Previously, energy policy was limited to supporting industrial policy, but the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy represents an attempt to change this paradigm," adding, "However, there were questions about whether it is appropriate to split the department responsible for energy policy." Another lawmaker noted, "It would be better to create a separate Ministry of Energy rather than divide the energy-related departments."
Ruling party members have reportedly stated that either the existing structure should be maintained, or if they want to separate the energy-related organization, a Ministry of Energy should be established, rather than transferring it to the Ministry of Environment. Given that all ruling party members on the Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs, and Startups Committee have opposed the draft, there is a significant possibility that the final conclusion will differ.
The plan to establish the Ministry of Climate and Energy is expected to be finalized through the high-level party-government meeting on the 7th. The ruling party has stated it will listen to the government's positions, including those of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of Environment, to determine the final plan.