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South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun answers questions during a confirmation hearing for his appointment at the National Assembly on Jan. 7. (Kang Chang-kwang, staff photographer)

A bill approving the appointment of Chung Sye-kyun as prime minister passed the National Assembly on Jan. 13. Chung received a majority of the anonymously conducted vote, with the support of the Democratic Party, the Bareunmirae Party, the Justice Party, the Party for Democracy and Peace, and the New Alternatives, though not of the New Conservative Party or the Liberty Korea Party (LKP). During the hearing, there were accusations that his nomination weakened the division of powers (since Chung had previously served as National Assembly speaker) which regrettably led the conservative opposition parties to block the adoption of a report about the proceedings, forcing Moon Hee-sang to table the bill unilaterally as speaker of the National Assembly. It came as some relief that Chung’s approval was concluded without any major disturbances, despite the obstruction by the opposition parties.

There are high hopes for Chung, who will be the second prime minister during the presidency of Moon Jae-in, following Lee Nak-yeon. In the second half of his presidency, Moon faces more pressure than ever to get results on economic and livelihood issues; there’s a critical need for more efficiency in the government, to give the general public a taste of the fruits of reform. Given Chung’s background as an entrepreneur, we hope he will energize the economy, focusing his tenure as prime minister on economic and livelihood issues.

“I will stake everything on using regulatory reform to create an environment in which people have incentives to start a business. I will create economic opportunities for the future through innovative growth and lay the foundation for resolving polarization by expanding the social safety net,” Chung said during the hearing. We hope he will take the lead in the cabinet to enable the economy to advance to the next level through a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution.

Chung will also make the most of his experience as National Assembly speaker to bring about genuine win-win relationships and cooperative governance. Considering that he’ll be the first person to move from the head of the legislative branch (as National Assembly speaker) to second-in-command of the executive branch (as prime minister) during a single presidency, the criticism about eroding the division of powers is understandable. But now that the debate is over and Chung’s appointment has been confirmed, we hope he will serve as a bipartisan prime minister who engages in dialogue with a wide range of parties. Chung said during the hearing that he will “advise the president to set up a unity cabinet after the parliamentary elections.” Our hope is that Chung will take advantage of his experience over the years to create a model of truly cooperative governance.

As the Moon administration enters its fourth year, it faces challenges in every area: the economy, the public livelihood, a number of reform drives, and foreign policy. Hopefully, Chung’s appointment will motivate the current government to leapfrog its besetting issues as it makes a fresh start. As Chung writes what may prove to be the final chapter in his political life, his duty is to lead the cabinet to get results that live up to public expectations.

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