President Lee Jae-myung on the 16th received reports on and finalized 123 state agenda items, including the introduction of a "four-year consecutive presidential term" system, at a Cabinet meeting. The aim is to move beyond the drawbacks of the single five-year term and enhance continuity in state affairs. The constitutional amendment bill will also include the introduction of a runoff system in presidential elections, transferring the Board of Audit and Inspection under the National Assembly, limiting the president's veto, and adopting a system in which the National Assembly recommends the prime minister.
Presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the Government Complex Sejong for the first time since taking office that day, Lee said, "A management plan for our government's 123 state agenda items has been prepared," adding, "We will surely make the Republic of Korea a global leader, using the state agenda that embodies the will of the sovereign as our compass."
Under the national vision of "a country where the people are the owners, a Korea where everyone is happy," the state agenda consists of five major national goals—▲ politics that unites the people ▲ an innovation economy that leads the world ▲ balanced growth where everyone prospers ▲ a society with strong fundamentals ▲ diplomacy and security centered on the national interest—along with 23 implementation strategies and 123 tasks.
In the institutional sector of reforming power institutions, measures include prosecution reform such as separating investigation and indictment, abolishing martial law control and the Defense Security Command, and ensuring police neutrality. In addition, the government will push to transfer wartime operational control within the term, complete Sejong as the administrative capital, and begin the second transfer of public institutions. To that end, it will establish a pan-government implementation system. To accelerate legislative outcomes, the government plans to set up a "state legislation situation room" within the Ministry of Government Legislation.
There is a clash between the ruling and opposition parties over whether the effect of the top-priority task—four-year consecutive terms—will apply immediately to Lee. The ruling camp's position is that, in principle, it does not apply to the sitting president at the time of constitutional amendment, making Lee's consecutive term impossible. The opposition, however, remains suspicious that this is a long-term ruling plan by the pro-government camp, which is close to the constitutional amendment quorum of 200 seats.
◇ Amid controversy over legislative supremacy… "Mistakenly thinking power is one's own"
Regarding the recently raised claim of "legislative supremacy," which has sparked constitutional concerns, Lee said, "Whether through elections or appointments, the source of (power) is the people," adding, "There are cases where, once you have power, you mistakenly think it is your own, and it is important not to fall into that misconception. Power is something temporarily entrusted for representation."
Although no specific person was named, the remarks appeared aimed at Supreme Court Chief Justice Cho Hui-dae, who has emphasized "judicial independence." After Chief Justice Cho expressed opposition to the ruling party-led judicial reform and the establishment of a special tribunal for insurrection, Choo Mi-ae, chair of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee from the Democratic Party, and the party leadership have been calling for his resignation. During a briefing the previous day at the presidential office, comments emerged that seemed to support Chief Justice Cho's resignation, prompting the Spokesperson to issue a clarification.