Conditions for Successful Presidential Transition

Since its inception in 2002, the East Asia Institute (EAI) has argued that creating a successful presidential case is a gateway for Korean democracy to mature and advance to a developed stage. For the 16th presidential election, through the "Conditions for Presidential Success" research project, we emphasized the importance of clearly recognizing the boundaries between the president's roles, authority, and responsibilities. We have synthesized the research outcomes to present clearly, at the institutional and policy levels, what the new president "should do" and "should not do."

To effectively assist EAI in drawing up a blueprint for the next government's state philosophy, state strategy, and personnel appointments in a short period, the following research tasks were derived for ≪Conditions for Successful Presidential Transition≫.

• President-elect's Leadership during Government Transition

• Proposals for the Composition of the Transition Organization

• Conditions for Successful Policy Transition

• Political Considerations during the Transition Period

We organized expert research teams for each research task to conduct theoretical research and case studies of presidential transitions concurrently. Concurrently, we synthesized the experiences and wisdom of policy strategists who led past government transitions in Korea since democratization, with the aim of publishing policy proposals that are both theoretically grounded and provide practical guidance for the next government's personnel appointments. The insights and experiences of those who led past government transition committees were systematically organized through intensive consultations held seven times from October 1st to early November.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Part I: Prospects and Alternatives: Leadership, Organization, Policy, and Political Relations

Chapter 1: The President's National Management Leadership | Hong-kyu Lee

Chapter 2: Proposals for Government Transition Period and New Government's Initial Organizational Structure | Sung-ho Im

Chapter 3: Policy Transition and Conditions for the New Government's Success | Jin-young Jung

Chapter 4: Political Considerations for a Successful Transition Process | Won-taek Kang

Part II: Retrospectives and Recommendations _ Edited by Byung-kook Kim

Chapter 1: The Presidential Transition Process is a Process of Realizing a New Zeitgeist | Cheol-eon Park, Former Minister of Political Affairs

Chapter 2: Re-examine Election Pledges from a Zero-Base | Jae-hee Nam, Former Minister of Labor

Chapter 3: Implement Reform Policies within One Year of the Presidential Inauguration | Byung-min Jeon, Former Senior Secretary for Policy Planning

Chapter 4: Complete Government Reform within the First Year of the Administration | Jong-chan Lee, Former Director of the National Intelligence Service

Chapter 5: Clarify the Goals and Limitations of the Next Government during the Transition Period | Kwang-jae Lee, Former Director of the National Situation Room

Chapter 6: Form an Early Foreign Affairs and Security Transition Team to Enhance Realism | Jong-seok Lee, Former Minister of Unification

Chapter 7: Involve Politicians and Establish Close Cooperation with the Ruling Party | Hyuk-baek Im, Former Head of the Administrative Reform Research Office, Presidential Transition Committee

Appendix 1: Law on Presidential Transition

Appendix 2: Organization and Personnel of the 15th Presidential Transition Committee

Appendix 3: Organization and Personnel of the 16th Presidential Transition Committee

Appendix 4: Key Activities Log of the 15th Presidential Transition Committee

Appendix 5: Key Activities Log of the 16th Presidential Transition Committee

For the convenience of our readers, parts of the manuscript are being made public.