The presidential office plans to set up a de facto transition team to ensure a smooth and effective transition of power to new President Moon Jae-in, a senior presidential official said Thursday.
A policy coordination committee working as a de facto transition team will be set up, Im Jong-seok, chief of staff at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, told reporters.
Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok holds a briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on May 11, 2017. (Yonhap)
His remarks came one day after the new president was inaugurated just hours after the election watchdog confirmed his victory in the presidential by-election held the previous day.
Unlike his predecessors, the new president's five-year term began immediately as the rare presidential by-election was aimed at filling the top elected office. It was vacated by former President Park Geun-hye, who was ousted in March following her parliamentary impeachment late last year over a series of corruption allegations that have also led to her arrest and indictment.
The committee, Im said, will decide which of Moon's election pledges should be pursued first and which could wait.
Im also said a previously unscheduled Cabinet meeting has been called for late Thursday to discuss a change in the structure of the presidential office.
The proposed change in structure partly seeks to give more power to government ministries.
"It will entail each government ministry dealing with issues" related to their own ministries, Im said. "It mostly highlights (Moon's) intention that Cheong Wa Dae must not control government ministries."
Moon has yet to name new Cabinet members, only tapping South Jeolla Province Gov. Lee Nak-yon as the new prime minister.
Lee's appointment, however, could take weeks as it requires a review by the parliament, following a confirmation hearing by a parliamentary committee. (Yonhap)