President Moon Jae-in is to unveil a one hundred-point plan for the next five years, touting jobs, the fight against corruption and reform as his top policy priorities.

The complete policy agenda for the Moon administration, prepared by the president’s de facto transition team, was reported to the president last Thursday. Cheong Wa Dae, which is currently giving it the final touch, is to announce the full list Wednesday. 


Among the raft of policy items is the creation of a new body to investigate corruption and influence-peddling of high-level officials and their families, such as prosecutors, judges, generals and lawmakers. The president and his or her relatives will also be put under its microscope.

“We plan to complete the legislation and establishment of the investigative body within this year,“ a ruling camp official said.

Moon was elected in a snap presidential election on promises to stamp out irregularities and foul play in society, in particular those involving high-ranking officials. His predecessor, President Park Geun-hye, was expelled from office after being embroiled in a sweeping corruption scandal and is now standing a criminal trial along with many of her aides and confidantes.

Moon, during election campaigning, has called for the need for an independent body to investigate high-ranking officials, free of political pressure.

The State Affairs Advisory Committee, which outlined the 100 policy items, acted as Moon’s transition committee during its two months of activities that ended last week.

According to the ruling camp official, the list includes many other election pledges of Moon and some new plans, bits and pieces of which are already known through the public discussion process.

Among them are a 5 percent youth employment quota for state-run corporations, up from the current 3 percent; a plan to establish regional social service corporations to hire 340,000 caregivers and social workers; the much-controversial plan to hike the minimum wage to 10,000 won ($8.82) per hour by 2020.

“Measures to make dismissals easier are also included,” the official said.

The Moon administration will also seek to draw a new boundary of investigative functions of the prosecution and police, empowering police officers while scaling back exclusive authorities of prosecutors.

It will also push for measures to prevent possible human rights infringement of criminal suspects during the investigation process and to better protect whistle-blowers.

During the luncheon with committee members, President Moon reiterated his commitment to the policy agenda, asking them to keep a close tab on its implementation.

“The one hundred policy items that you have outlined is an assignment, as well as it is a way for me to make good on the campaign pledges and put the country on the path for a new South Korea,” Moon said. 

By Lee Sun-young (milaya@heraldcorp.com)