Moon nominates former National Assembly speaker to be next prime minister

Chung Sye-kyun, former speaker of the National Assembly, who has been nominated by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to be the next prime minister. (Yonhap News)

Chung Sye-kyun seen as figure who can bring stability to divided parliament

Chung Sye-kyun, former speaker of the National Assembly, who has been nominated by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to be the next prime minister. (Yonhap News)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has nominated Chung Sye-kyun, former speaker of the National Assembly, to be the next prime minister, a decision aimed primarily at securing “stability,” Moon said. Moon appears to have concluded that only a figure with the gravitas and storied career of Chung ― a six-term lawmaker who has served as party leader in addition to his time as speaker ― can handle the squabbling in the National Assembly leading up to the general election next April. Moon also took into account Chung’s background as an economic expert, including his experience in the corporate world and his service as the minister of trade, industry, and energy.

While personally announcing Chung’s nomination on Dec. 17, Moon described Chung as a person with “a mild temperament” who “values dialogue and compromise” and underlined that Chung “can provide the kind of harmony and cooperation that will win public trust and bring stability.” Despite inevitable concerns that the nomination erodes the separation of powers by muddying the boundary between the legislative and executive branches, Moon explained that “the ability to bring about unity and harmony is even more important.”

“The number one reason that Moon selected Chung is because he evokes a feeling of stability. While serving as floor leader, party leader, and speaker, Chung demonstrated stable leadership as he deftly mediated disputes and orchestrated compromise,” echoed an official at the Blue House.

Moon considers National Assembly ratification and Chung’s economic expertise

Given the Cho Kuk debacle that plagued the Blue House throughout the summer, the need to gain the approval of the National Assembly in the ratification process was another important consideration. There are major fears that another flubbed appointment could have a devastating effect on the parliamentary elections coming up in April. That’s also why a number of veteran lawmakers in the party who aren’t likely to be shot down ― including Kim Jin-pyo and Won Hye-yeong ― have either offered to stand for the position or have been recommended by others. At one point, the Blue House even gave serious thought to keeping Lee Nak-yeon on as prime minister if it had trouble finding a suitable candidate.

Chung’s reputation as an economic expert is a strength that made him stand out among other leading figures. While announcing Chung’s nomination on Tuesday, Moon praised his consummate knowledge of the economy. Economic expertise was also why Moon had looked into nominating Kim Jin-pyo, despite pushback from progressives.

“Chung knows a lot about the real economy. He’s the right person to help run the government in the second half of Moon’s presidency, given our economic difficulties,” a Blue House official said.

When Chung was initially approached about assuming the premiership, he reportedly declined, observing that a person who has served as speaker of the National Assembly shouldn’t turn around and become prime minister. But after the idea of nominating Kim Jin-pyo (whom Chung had apparently recommended) fell through and the Blue House kept imploring him to reconsider, he finally made up his mind to accept the offer.

A senior official at the Blue House related how difficult it had been for Moon to persuade Chung to accept the nomination, a story that was confirmed by Senior Secretary for Public Communication Yoon Do-han. “The president said he was grateful to Chung for making such a courageous decision, given his status as a former National Assembly speaker,” Yoon said.

The Blue House had originally intended to nominate Chung once the National Assembly passed bills aimed at reforming the public prosecutors and the electoral system. But as the deadlock in the National Assembly dragged on, the Blue House ultimately pushed the nomination through, recognizing that Lee Nak-yeon couldn’t be retained in his current position much longer, given his determination to serve the party in some way in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

“We’d been hoping to make the announcement once the dust settled following the standoff in the National Assembly. But we’re not sure when that standoff will end, and we made the announcement today, in consideration of the election schedule and the need for capable governance in the second half of the year,” a senior official at the Blue House said.

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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