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Gov't to seek to reorganize government

Posted June. 06, 2017 06:59,   

Updated June. 06, 2017 07:04

한국어

The Moon Jae-in administration plans to reorganize the government structure by creating a new ministry supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and venture startups and elevating the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to a ministerial level. The move is seen as efforts to stably manage state affairs until a major government restructuring that would follow a constitutional revision scheduled for next year.

The government and the ruling Democratic Party have reached a conclusion on the plan that calls for turning the Small and Medium Business Administration into a ministry that would take over relevant businesses dispersed among the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and the Financial Services Commission. The plan also calls for setting up the Office of the Minister for Trade, to be headed by a vice minister-level official, under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The National Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard will become separate entities again and be placed under the Ministry of the Interior, whose name would be changed to the Ministry of Security and Public Administration. Under the plan, the Ministry of Public Safety and Security, which was created in November 2014 in the aftermath of the fatal Sewol ferry accident, will be dissolved in 31 months after its establishment.

The ruling party plans to introduce the government reorganization bill to the National Assembly this week with a view to having it passed in June. However, the legislation process is expected to be difficult, as opposition parties complain that the government failed to have consultations in advance, although they agree on a minimal level of government reorganization.



Hyung-Jun Hwang constant25@donga.com