Yoon: "Big government? Small government? ... I will create a government worth the taxes"

Government Plays Role in Distribution and Market Maker
Blue House Focuses on National Issues
Introducing 'Decentralized Responsible Minister System' Granting Full Authority to Ministers
Government Plays Role in Distribution and Market Maker
"Market Innovation Creates Added Value"

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is attending and speaking at the presidential election candidates' invitation debate hosted by the Korean Association for Public Administration held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 13th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

[Asia Economy reporters Naju-seok and Geum Bo-ryeong] Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, promised on the 13th to delegate authority to the cabinet and the executive branch, focus the Blue House on national issues, and operate the government by introducing a decentralized responsible minister system. He also emphasized distinguishing the roles of the government and the private sector, stating that the government will concentrate on areas it can manage well.

On the same day, Yoon introduced the direction of the next government’s operation at a policy discussion hosted jointly by the Korean Association for Public Administration and the Korean Association for Policy Studies held at the Seoul Press Center. Regarding the Blue House, he said, "The Blue House will manage the core system that ensures the entire government organization functions well and will transform into a strategic organization that can focus on planning, coordinating, and promoting cross-ministerial and national issues that only the president can handle," adding, "We will reorganize the Blue House into a slim, function-focused entity effective in solving national problems."

He also stated that the authority of each minister will be further strengthened. Yoon said, "I will operate the government faithfully to the constitutional spirit of a presidential system with elements of a parliamentary system," and "I will make the current Cabinet meeting a forum for public discussion and authoritative policy decisions." Furthermore, he announced, "I will introduce a ‘decentralized responsible minister system’ that grants full authority to each minister while ensuring they take clear responsibility for the results." Regarding ministerial appointments, he said, "Candidates for confirmation hearings will be selected with careful consideration in advance, and if they are found unsuitable during the National Assembly’s confirmation process, the Assembly’s judgment will be respected to the fullest extent."

Yoon introduced that issues requiring cross-ministerial cooperation will be reviewed through platforms such as a ‘virtual ministry’ like a ‘metaverse ministry.’

Regarding the roles of the market and government, he stated, "Market innovation creates added value, and government fairness ensures the equitable distribution of that added value," adding, "Through a fair innovation economy, we will significantly enhance our economy’s growth potential and job creation capacity." He intends to limit the government’s role to distribution and creating a market environment. He emphasized, "We must clearly distinguish between what the government should do and what the private sector should do, and the government should focus on what it can do well."

On welfare policy, Yoon stressed, "It must change from uniform handouts to ‘dynamic welfare’ that provides opportunity ladders." However, he promised to expand welfare scale, saying, "The level of welfare spending is currently much lower compared to the OECD average, so it needs to be increased to the OECD average level in the long term."

Meanwhile, seemingly aware of the debate over big government versus small government, Yoon said, "A competent government is not about being big or small, but about working efficiently so that taxpayers do not feel their taxes are wasted."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.