A Dual Political Structure Considered

Introducing a dual political structure instead of a cabinet system in Korea will more than likely attract the nation's attention. President Kim Dae Jung told journalists in a news conference in Chungchong Province that he has considered an alternative method to resolving the proposed cabinet system issue.
A high-ranking official from the ruling party said that President Kim and Prime Minister Kim Jong Pil (JP) had not agreed to introduce the dual political structure in the last presidential election campaign because the prime minister objected to it despite President Kim's preference for a government structure that would see a strict division of duties between the president and prime minister .
A source from the Prime Minister's Office stated that JP has reconsidered the dual political structure as an alteration of the cabinet system that guarantees a president's reign over national security and defense matters until the end of his term, and he would like it to be set in motion as soon as possible.
However, senior aides to President Kim reportedly have considered a dual political structure under which President Kim will control national security and defense and concede power to select and fire ministers, govern the economy and domestic politics to the prime minister shortly before the upcoming general election scheduled for April 2000.

Jangsoo Seo:jsbee@joongang.co.kr