Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
President-elect fires back at President's proposal for cordial meeting
President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during his visit to a press tent in front of his office in Tongui-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, Thursday. Joint Press Corps
By Nam Hyun-woo
By Nam Hyun-woo
President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday that he had invited President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol to a meeting with no preconditions, but Yoon expressed enmity toward Moon's offer, aggravating the relationship between the incoming and outgoing administrations further.
“I am the outgoing President and Yoon will be the new President. I don't think we need any negotiations to exchange greetings and share advice,” Moon was quoted as saying by Park Soo-hyun, the senior presidential secretary for public communication.
“I haven't heard of any precedent that preconditions and negotiations were required for a meeting between the incoming and outgoing presidents. I hope the President-elect will decide for himself without listening to others.”
The comments came amid a deadlock in arranging a meeting between the incoming and outgoing presidents, which has not taken place although the presidential election ended two weeks ago.
Instead of showing a gesture of national unity to the public, the two sides are at loggerheads over almost every matter of state affairs, such as reforming the prosecution, nominating the heads of government institutions and relocating the presidential office and residence.
“Regarding the remark that Yoon should not listen to others' opinions, we assume that the President was referring to Yoon's chief of staff Chang Je-won, senior presidential secretary for political affairs Lee Cheol-hee and a number of other aides who have made various comments regarding the leaders' meeting,” a senior Cheong Wa Dae official said.
Park Soo-hyun, the senior presidential secretary for public communication, enters the briefing room at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. Yonhap
However, Yoon's spokesperson, Rep. Kim Eun-hye of the main opposition People Power Party, expressed “deep regret” over Moon's remarks.
“Moon described Yoon as if he is unable to make his own decisions, which is very regretful,” Kim said in a text message to reporters. “With the power transition underway amid the bumpy road due to COVID-19 and the economic crisis, Moon described the meeting as a chance to share cordial greetings, to which we disagree.”
Justice Minister Park Beom-kye, center, listens to reporters' questions at the ministry's headquarters in the Government Complex in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. He refused to comment. Yonhap
Ceaseless conflicts
Their remarks came just hours after the two sides clashed over Yoon's plan to reform the prosecution.
The presidential transition committee has postponed a policy briefing by the Ministry of Justice scheduled for Thursday morning, in protest to Justice Minister Park Beom-kye's open opposition to Yoon's prosecution reform plan.
“The justice minister, who will be replaced in about 40 days, has expressed his head-on opposition to the election pledge of the President-elect, who was elected by the public,” People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Lee Yong-ho, who is a member of the presidential transition committee's political and judicial affairs team, said during a press conference. “It was very rude behavior, and we, the committee members, cannot soothe our anger.”
On Wednesday, Minister Park told reporters that the justice minister's authority to guide prosecutors' investigations of certain cases is required for democratic control of the prosecution. This comment was interpreted as clearly opposing President-elect Yoon's pledge to strip that right of the justice minister under the premise of neutrality.
“Fairness and neutrality are important values for the prosecution,” Park said. “If these values are guaranteed by the system and the prosecution's working atmosphere improves accordingly, the issue of the minister's authority will be addressed naturally.”
In contrast, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office (SPO) has expressed its support of Yoon's pledge. Due to the diverging opinions, the presidential transition committee was planning to hold briefings with the justice ministry and the SPO separately on Thursday, but postponed the justice ministry's briefing just hours in advance, citing Park's opposition to the plan.
“Park's opposition is not good for the justice ministry,” Lee of the transition committee said. “He is the outgoing minister, but the ministry will work as part of the Yoon government. … Against this backdrop, Park's opposition weighs on the justice ministry, and the ministry should gather internal opinions.”
It was the latest instance of conflict between the President and the President-elect.
Initially, Yoon and Moon had planned to meet on March 16, but the two sides postponed the meeting, citing the need for more time. However, it was revealed that they were on opposite sides over Moon's intention to fill two empty seats of the Board of Audit and Inspection Commissioners' Council and other issues.
Against this backdrop, Moon has put the brakes on Yoon's plan to move the presidential office and residence from Cheong Wa Dae to Yongsan District by May 10, by dismissing Yoon's proposal to finance the relocation costs from the state reserve fund.
On Wednesday, Yoon's chief of staff Chang Je-won traded salvos with Cheong Wa Dae officials, denying the presidential office's explanation that it had consulted with Yoon's side before nominating the new Bank of Korea (BOK) governor. Cheong Wa Dae in turn said that Chang had lied and threatened to “reveal everything to the public.”
“In principle, it is inappropriate to name a person who will have to work with the next administration,” Yoon told reporters, Thursday. “If you are selling your home soon, you don't make drastic renovations, considering the taste of the person who will buy your home.”
Yoon's spokesperson Kim had said, “The person Moon is trying to name now will work with the new President, not the outgoing one.”
She added, “It is common sense that the intention of the President-elect should be respected.”
Yoon's term officially begins on May 10.