Odd coexistence expected between President Lee Jae-myung and Yoon's ministers
President Lee Jae-myung rejected all offers of resignations from Cabinet members appointed by former President Yoon Suk Yeol, except for that of Justice Minister Park Sung-jae, on Wednesday, his spokesperson said.
Lee Ju-ho, the deputy prime minister and education minister who served as the country's third acting president from early May, offered the resignations of all Cabinet members, including himself, Wednesday afternoon.
But the president rejected them, citing the need for continuity in government affairs and the necessity of forging a task force for an emergency economic inspection, the spokesperson said, adding that only the justice minister's resignation was accepted.
The ministers and vice ministers who served in the Yoon administration had submitted their resignations to the Ministry of Personnel Management on Monday, a day before the June 3 presidential election.
But many speculate that the president will accept some resignations selectively to minimize any administrative void.
Dismissing the entire Cabinet at once would make it impossible for the new government to convene meetings, as Article 88 of the Constitution stipulates that the Cabinet is “composed of the President, the Prime Minister and 15 to 30 ministers.”
The quorum for a Cabinet meeting is a majority of the 21 members.
Ministers and vice ministers under former President Park Geun-hye, who was South Korea’s first president to be removed from office by impeachment in 2017, also submitted resignations en masse on May 8, 2017, two days before the early election.
But former President Moon Jae-in only accepted the resignation of then-Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and decided to delay accepting the other ministers' resignations.
Since Lee, like Moon, began his term immediately without a presidential transition period, he is expected to hold several Cabinet meetings with ministers from Yoon’s government.
Former President Moon convened his first meeting with the Cabinet members he appointed 76 days after taking office.
sj_lee@heraldcorp.com
