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[8th EAI Academy] 8. Changes in Power Structure and Reform Tasks
Editor's Note
Professor Seon-woo Lee of Chonbuk National University questions the combination of the presidential system and the two-party system, traditionally considered stable, emphasizing that it is a system where structural cooperation is impossible. He explains that under this structure, conflicts between the two major parties over the next presidential term become routine, and the tendency to shift responsibility for policy failures to each other is strengthened. Professor Lee examines cabinet government, semi-presidentialism, and the four-year single-term presidential system, which have been discussed as recent institutional reform measures, and proposes the combination of the presidential system and a multi-party system as a reform task.
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e-7JkhqX74
Video Script
The 4-year term limit presidency and the task of institutional reform
The 4-year term limit presidency is the most frequently mentioned option and the one with the highest public preference whenever constitutional amendment discussions arise in South Korea. The proposal aims to enhance accountability by allowing the president to serve a second term while simultaneously reducing presidential powers. The 4-year term limit is expected to strengthen horizontal accountability between the two branches by devaluing the presidency as political spoils and enabling the National Assembly to effectively monitor and supervise the executive branch. A major point of contention is whether to align the presidential and legislative election cycles. Many advocate for holding presidential and legislative elections in the same year, creating a situation where the ruling party holds a majority in the presidency and the opposition in the legislature. Conversely, some argue that this could excessively strengthen presidential power, and thus, the design should ensure that general elections are held in the second year of the presidential term. Recently, a compromise similar to the U.S. Senate elections, where only half of the National Assembly members are elected in the second year, has also been proposed. This is an important
institutional reform that is more critical than constitutional amendment. It is believed that this needs to be accompanied by a reform of the party system towards a multi-party system. Otherwise, even if the value of the presidency is reduced, problems arising from the combination of a presidential system and a multi-party system are likely to persist to some extent. Institutional reforms should be considered to foster the combination of a presidential system and a multi-party system.
Lee Sun-woo, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Chonbuk National University.
Managed and Edited by: Song Chae-rin, EAI Research Fellow
Inquiries: 02 2277 1683 (ext. 211) | crsong@eai.or.kr
*This text is an AI translation of an original written in Korean. Some translations or nuances may be inaccurate.