Does ex-UN chief Ban intend to accord premiership to running mate?

In a forum with Kwanhun Club, a senior journalists’ organization in Seoul, on Wednesday, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “I will change political order and political culture through change of the electoral constituency system, which will properly reflect the will of majority of the people in politics, and constitutional amendment for power distribution and coalition rule.” The former UN chief also said, “If a person with experience can lead foreign affairs issues including diplomacy, national security and reunification and the prime minister can take care of economic and social issues, we can achieve coalition rule.” Given that president cannot sufficiently handle both domestic politics and external affairs, he suggested a semi-presidential system in which he will serve as president dealing with external affairs including diplomacy, national security and inter-Korean relations by making most of his experience as former U.N. secretary-general, and let the force who will form a coalition with him in the upcoming presidential election assume the post of prime minister.

“We have seen many times the practice in which president pledges constitutional amendment during election campaign, before disregarding the issue once elected,” Ban said in his opening remarks. “Constitutional amendment should take place before the upcoming presidential election.” However, with an early presidential election anticipated in the first half of this year, constitutional amendment before the presidential election is physically challenging. The incumbent National Assembly also lacks political capability to reach agreement on constitutional amendment bill by winning approval by two thirds (200 seats) of the parliamentary members, the quorum required for constitutional amendment. For this reason, Ban himself also predicted on last Monday that constitutional amendment before the presidential election would be difficult.

Watchers say Ban has changed his stance apparently to counter former Minjoo Party Chairman Moon Jae-in, who is opposed to constitutional amendment before the presidential election, by forming a coalition for constitutional amendment with Kim Jong-in, former chairman of the Minjoo Party, Sohn Hak-kyu, chairman of the coalition for people’s reform and sovereignty, or Kim Moo-sung, adviser to the Bareun Party, or others who support constitutional amendment. “Moon opposes (constitutional amendment before the presidential election) at this point, but it will be possible if he chooses to support,” Ban said. Insiders in the political circle have mentioned the idea of "Ban Ki-mon – Kim Jong-in," or "Ban Ki-moon – Kim Moo-sung" as running mates. This idea is no different from the rumor of "Ban Ki-moon as president – a pro-Park Geun-hye member as prime minister" proposed by core members of the pro-Park faction in the past.

According to the result of an opinion poll by the Munhwa Ilbo daily released on Wednesday, Ban’s approval rating stands at 16 percent, about half of Moon Jae-in’s (31.2 percent). In a hypothetical two-way race, he is even lagging behind both South Chungcheong Governor Ahn Hee-jung and Seongnam Mayor Lee Jae-myung as well. Ban may feel anxious in the face of his slumping approval rating, but it is not right to put forward political engineering such as coalition for constitutional amendment or anti-Moon coalition in this grave national crisis. Rather, he should make bet based on thorough self-sacrifice and a robust vision for the nation.