New Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Thursday moved to promote the communication between the administration and the legislature, thanking political parties who endorsed his appointment on the previous day and expressing hope for an improved relationship with the dissenting opposition.
After paying his respects at Seoul National Cemetery in early morning as his first official schedule, Lee made his way to Yeouido to meet with the legislative chief and the leadership of key rival parties.
“The president’s message upon bestowing the certificate of appointment (yesterday) was that I should communicate and cooperate closely with the parliament,” Lee said in his meeting with Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun.
“I request that (the legislature) helps (the administration) in important issues such as personnel appointments and urgent supplementary state budgets.”
The prime minister also referred to the current opposition majority in the 300-seat assembly, a situation which once posed a challenge on his confirmation.
“The Liberty Korea Party did exit (the general meeting hall in boycott) but they did not completely stand against (my appointment itself) and I believe that they also left some room for communication,” Lee added.
But he failed to meet with the hard-line conservative opposition party’s leadership as the latter turned down the request, keeping up its protest against President Moon Jae-in’s personnel decision.
Inaugurated late on Wednesday, Lee was the first ministerial member to take office since the Moon Jae-in administration kicked off on May 10. Though announced right away on the first day, Lee’s nomination to the Cabinet’s top post was followed by political brawls over his past record of false residence registration.
The final approval of the prime minister was considered a key variable for President Moon who earlier vowed to swiftly fill the vacuum in managing state affairs -- caused by the ouster of predecessor Park Geun-hye -- and to achieve a division of state power.
“The president spoke of a so-called responsible prime minister, promising to empower the prime minister to make decisions independently,” Lee told Chung.
The prime minister then made way to the centrist minority People’s Party, appreciating its close-to-anonymous consent to his appointment in the parliamentary vote the previous day.
“It was thanks to (the party’s) bold decision that the Moon Jae-in government was able to take sail without further delay,” Lee told the party’s emergency council chairman Rep. Park Joo-sun.
During his visit to the Justice Party’s leadership, Lee reiterated his pledge to become a prime minister who fully plays his role and takes responsible actions.
He also promised to expand unofficial communication channels, holding casual gatherings with drinks, expressing his well-known affection for makgeolli.
“I will make efforts so that the Prime Minister’s Office becomes the government office which consumes the highest amount of makgeolli,” Lee said in a playful tone.
It was especially during his talk with the ruling liberal Democratic Party chairperson Rep. Choo Mi-ae that Lee most strongly underscored the political vision of the Moon administration.
“The monthslong candlelight revolution has left a clear task upon the Moon government, and in order to achieve such goals, it is crucial that the government and ruling party work in unity,” Lee said.
Party chief Choo, in response, vowed for the party’s support for the liberal administration but also requested that the president opens up further to his home party’s feedback.
Lee, a former provincial governor, received 164 out of 188 votes cast at the plenary session on Wednesday afternoon, with 107 lawmakers of the Liberty Korea Party boycotting the decision and 20 votes opposing his nomination.
koreaherald@heraldcorp.com
