A CONFLICT between the incoming and outgoing presidential administrations is escalating over a plan to move the South Korean presidential office to a defence ministry compound.
This has raised concerns among many over the smooth transfer of power as the ruling and opposition blocs are refusing to budge over the controversial relocation plan.
According to a Korea Times report, supporters of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and outgoing President Moon Jae-in have been trading salvos every day.
“Given the situation so far, (President-elect Yoon) may have to begin his presidency at the presidential transition committee office,” Yoon’s spokesperson and Rep. Kim Eun-hye of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) told reporters on Tuesday.
Her remarks came a day after Moon voiced concerns over Yoon’s plan to set up a new presidential office at the Ministry of National Defence headquarters and begin his presidency on May 10.
Yoon had said he wanted to move the presidential office in order to become more accessible to the public and he believes the current office in Cheong Wa Dae presidential compound was too secluded.
Citing security concerns, Cheong Wa Dae dismissed the presidential transition committee’s proposal to approve some 50 billion won (US$40.9 million) in necessary funding for the relocation at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
“There should be no vacuum in state affairs, not even the smallest one. National security, the economy and public safety, in particular, should be handled flawlessly,” Moon said.
“With tensions surrounding the Korean Peninsula escalating, there should be no unstable factors when it comes to national security,” he added.
The confrontation over the issue has casts a grim outlook on the prospects of a smooth transition of power, with Moon postponing a meeting with Yoon to discuss the transfer of power, while lawmakers have also clashed over the issue.
During a parliamentary meeting on Tuesday, ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers described the relocation as “an unimaginably hasty plan” which will seriously compromise national security.
PPP members retorted that DPK was citing an imaginary national security vacuum simply to oppose Yoon’s plan.
They said there will be no security vacuum even if the presidential office and the ministry move.
PPP Rep. Sung Il-jong said if the incoming and outgoing powers cooperate, there will be no vacuum in national security or state affairs.
“I cannot understand why the ruling bloc is trying to impede the incoming administration.”
Another PPP representative, Shin Won-sik, said concerns of a national security vacuum were exaggerated and that the defense minister does not work in his office in the ministry if there was an emergency situation.
Source: New Straits Times
