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Prime minister nominee: I will take more responsibility

Posted January. 27, 2015 07:05,   

한국어

Prime Minister nominee Lee Wan-koo said Monday, "A `responsible prime minister` is not a legal term but I will exercise the authority of a prime minister stipulated by Constitution and law." He made this remark to reporters on his way to his office temporary set up at the Financial Supervisory Service training center in central Seoul.

According to Constitution, the prime minister can exercise the rights of recommendation and dismissal against government agency heads. President Park Geun-hye also proposed a "responsible prime minister system," in which prime minister takes more responsibility by sharing with the president, when she was running as presidential candidate, but the system is currently assessed as only nominal.

Lee stressed responsible prime minister system to actively present his opinions on Cabinet personnel appointments and national affairs issues.

The government submitted motion regarding the appointment of Lee as prime minister to the National Assembly after President Park`s approval. The National Assembly has to finalize hearings within 20 days.

In the political sector, people say there are few big controversial issues for Lee`s confirmation hearing besides his second son`s exemption from military service. Observers say that Lee has been strict in self-regulation. Key example is that he opened his X-ray photo he kept for 50 years. "I`ve always kept with me important things through my life as a public servant, including those for elections," Lee said.

When his mother passed away in 1991, Lee, then head of criminal department at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, didn`t accept any condolence money. When he served as the governor of South Chungcheong Province, his son got married but he invited only around 100 people including families and relatives. He didn`t accept any gratuity.