President Roh’s Post-Impeachment Plans: Empower the Party and Cabinet

President Roh Moo-hyun’s plans after the reinstatement of his power for the new political landscape shaped by the governing party-controlled National Assembly are gradually revealing themselves.

President Roh offered several bedrock principles for the latter part of his term at a meeting with Uri Party leaders on April 21.

Horizontal Relations between the Uri Party and the Administration—

President Roh made it clear that the government will maintain horizontal relations with the Uri Party, which won a majority in the National Assembly. He said he would ensure the autonomy of the party by not intervening in the candidate nomination process and the appointment of party officials although he would join the part after the impeachment proceedings are completed.

However, his connections with the party will remain intact. As a major party member, he will often offer a big picture for reforms at the Uri Party as well as operations of the government to prevent the party from deviating from his policy orientation.

With Moon Hee-sang, his special political aide, as a go-between for the presidential office and the party, the functions and the Office of the Presidential Secretary of Political Affairs, once the effective headquarters of the governing party, will likely be reduced.

Party and Cabinet Have Policy Initiative—

As far as domestic policy goes, he showed his willingness to give considerable initiative, if not entrusting the prime minister with full executive powers, to the cabinet and the party in the implementation of major policies.

According to his aides, President Roh believes much damage has been done in the past year as he attempted to lead every single policy head-on. By intervening in every single socially sensitive issue, he has wrought unnecessary havoc on his leadership.

In the same context, he said at the April 21 meeting, “I will be cautious. I will take a step back.” In a meeting with Uri Party floor leader Kim Geun-tae on April 19, he said, “I hope the party handles every lousy issue.”

Expectations are that the prime ministers and cabinet members will lead government operations in close cooperation with the party. A shakeup of the government will take place consistent with the new initiative after the impeachment proceedings.

Dialogue with Opposition Party—

The overall tones of his relations with the opposition party will change drastically. President Roh has always chosen to challenge it head-on as a way out of his confrontation with the majority-controlling opposition party since his inauguration as president. With the Uri Party commanding a majority in legislature, he believes that he now has much room to maneuver.

As the Uri Party’s seats outnumber the opposition’s, he has an upper hand in negotiations with the opposition lawmakers. Against this backdrop, he will develop new dialogue channels and practice mutually enlivening politics. “Although not immediately, he will begin contacting opposition lawmakers individually and consider bringing some of them into his Cabinet.”

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com