elect Lee Prioritizes Bread and Butter Issues
Government Downsizing Plan Due in January
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
The presidential transition team has set its agenda for eight policies, including a speedy reorganization of government offices.
The decision was made at the first meeting of the heads of the transition team's six subcommittees and one special subcommittee at its office in Seoul Thursday.
The eight policies are bread-and-butter issues for low-income and middle-class citizens; restructuring the public sector and government reorganization; attracting foreign investment and promotion of domestic investment; education reform; stabilization of real estate prices; anti-corruption; increasing youth employment; and childcare and welfare for senior citizens.
Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman of the presidential team, told reporters that the team plans to complete policies for public sector restructuring by mid-January and government reorganization by the end of the month before President-elect Lee Myung-bak is sworn in on Feb. 25.
Restructuring the public sector has emerged as a key item after the President-elect made it clear that he would seek a small but efficient government.
Rep. Joo Ho-young, a spokesman for President-elect Lee, said in a radio interview that the team will look into overlapping ministries, government committees and governance of public firms.
``It seems to be inevitable to restructure some government committees as their roles and functions overlap. For example, the committee dealing with the past is an example vividly reflecting overlapped functions and this problem should be corrected,'' Joo said.
The number of government committees has increased by 156 since Roh took office in early 2003 and the number now totals 416.
The figures show that an average 2.6 committees have been established per month during the incumbent government.
Joo indicated that public sector reform may come at the expense of some government employees' jobs.
He did not rule out the possibility that some officials might be victims as a result of making the public sector slim.
Joo, however, stressed that the incoming government will not take drastic measures to cut the number of civil servants.
The announcement of the plan to restructure and merge government ministries has made many employees feel insecure about their job security.
But Kim Hyong-o, a four-term lawmaker who serves as vice chairperson of the transition team, tried to calm down their fears.
Meanwhile, Lee's plan to stabilize real estate prices has become a contentious issue as the plan focuses on cutting property tax. The real estate market has shown signs of a new bubble recently.
Reports said that housing prices have gone up mainly because of Lee's property stabilization plan focusing on reducing property tax.
Rep. Choi Kyung-hwan, head of the subcommittee for economic affairs II, said it is a wrong perception that housing prices will go up after Lee takes office on Feb. 25.
Choi said the new government may consider reducing property tax later than originally scheduled.