[Column] The Ambiguous Prime Minister in the 'Imperial Presidency Nation'

President Yoon Seok-yeol's Promised Responsible Prime Minister
The Least Clear Pledge

‘Il-in-ji-ha Man-in-ji-sang (一人之下 萬人之上)’ vs ‘Bangtan·Uijeon·Eolgul·Daedok’

Both are phrases used to describe the Prime Minister. The former means ‘below one person, above ten thousand people.’ It is an expression referring to the Yeonguijeong of the Joseon Dynasty. The latter is a modern term. It is used when questioning the Prime Minister about failures in state administration.

“What do you think a responsible Prime Minister is?” I was asked this question while covering the first anniversary of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo’s inauguration. The terms ‘gye-rik’ (chicken-rib) or ‘plant’ were described as worn-out attacks. Even without exercising the authority to appoint or dismiss cabinet members, if the Prime Minister fulfills their role in overseeing the cabinet and coordinating policies, isn’t that a responsible Prime Minister? It is a persuasive argument. Responsibility of the Prime Minister is not a legal concept but a political term.

What about former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, who was called ‘the most powerful Prime Minister since Dangun’? He was indeed powerful. The Prime Minister held the authority to appoint vice ministers. He also presided over statutory cabinet meetings. When there was opposition from ministries regarding budget procurement, he threatened to use the dismissal recommendation power to enforce his will. However, this system did not last long. During the tenure of his successor, Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook, the authority to preside over cabinet meetings was revoked. Since then, Prime Ministers have only served as practical and managerial aides to the President.

To what extent is the delegation of sovereign power to the Prime Minister? We have never properly brought this issue into the public discourse. The Prime Minister is based on parliamentary consent and presidential trust but is constantly exposed to dismissal by the President. The Prime Minister is a political appointee who receives delegated governing authority, acting as an intermediary, agent, and trustee. However, they can never surpass the President, who is elected by direct vote. There is no means to disperse that power. Legally increasing the Prime Minister’s decrees, granting appointment authority over ministers and vice ministers, or fixing the term of office?without these, even if the Prime Minister holds momentary power, it is ephemeral and unstable.

Ultimately, the focus should not be on ‘why there was no responsible Prime Minister in the past year.’ Rather, it should be on ‘why every administration presents the responsible Prime Minister as an empty slogan, knowing that it won’t work without constitutional amendment.’ On page 38, line five of the Yoon Seok-youl administration’s 110 national tasks, ‘responsible Prime Minister’ is mentioned. I want to ask the constitutionalist President: What is your definition of a responsible Prime Minister? During the presidential campaign, did you not use the ambiguous term ‘responsible Prime Minister’ as if to disperse the imperial power?

Representative democracy is achieved through ‘binding delegation by pledges.’ The President should regard pledges as binding and obligatory. The responsible Prime Minister was the least clear pledge, lacking both realism and a consensual definition.

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