Transition draws media frenzy
Yoon Chang-joong, center, spokesman for the presidential transition team, answers after a media briefing held at the team’s office in the Korea Banking Institute building in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap
By Chung Min-uck
Early on Monday morning, members of president-elect Park Geun-hye’s power transition team gathered one after another at the team’s office in the Korea Banking Institute building Samcheong-dong, Seoul.
It was the first general meeting of the team presided over by Park.
The atmosphere soon generated media frenzy as reporters constantly asked questions about what kind of agenda would be dealt in the meeting when the committee chairmen entered the main building to attend the meeting.
Park arrived around 10 a.m. after most of the committee heads had completed their meeting.
Kim Yong-joon, the transition team chairman, while refusing to give detailed answers to the reporters’ questions, said “I will try my best to put Park’s campaign pledges into actual policies and successfully complete the process of transition so that later this team can be acclaimed as one of the best ever.”
The incoming president on Sunday officially launched her team as the first step toward laying the groundwork for the new government and the major agenda items it will pursue over the next five years.
Reflecting growing public interest, the team has four briefing rooms that can accommodate 380 reporters.
Initially, there was only one with 170 seats. The team, however, increased the number of briefing rooms because over 980 journalists registered for the event.
This made it the biggest ever in terms of scale.
Regarding the location, a team official said Park has chosen the area “due to security concerns and for work efficiency.”
The building is located near Cheong Wa Dae and the Central Government Office building.
Around 300 policeman and security guards were dispatched from Cheong Wa Dae and police stations for security reasons. All reporters have to go through security checks before entering the building.
Meanwhile, on the second floor of the main building, an office space for the incoming prime minister was created beforehand.
Rooms for other key Cabinet posts have yet to be designated.
An insider was quoted as saying “the prime minister’s office was made beforehand since the post would be appointed earlier than other posts.” “The personnel who will assume the post will have to take part in discussions about implementing Park’s overall blueprint for the new administration.”
The president-elect earlier pledged to share the president’s power with the prime ministerial post to curtail excessive power, including nomination rights, given to the president.