President Lee directs open review of the State Council - Power that shares responsibility

Direction for Public Review of State Council Meeting

On June 19th, President Lee Jae-myung directed the examination of the feasibility of disclosing the contents of the Cabinet meeting, asking, 'Is there any reason not to make the Cabinet meeting public?' Currently, only the President's opening remarks are made public, while the specific comments of the ministers and senior officials present remain in an unofficial realm unknown to the public. However, the President's statement goes beyond merely demanding a change in administrative procedures. This instruction signals a philosophical shift in the governance system and should be understood as a fundamental challenge to the structure of political power itself. The core of this lies in the two keywords: 'strengthening political accountability' and 'dispersing authority.'

The limitations of an authoritarian cabinet structure

Currently, the cabinet meetings are essentially a one-way communication space centered around the president. The president delivers messages through opening remarks, while the rest of the meeting's content is kept closed, and the multilayered discussions of policy-making processes are not revealed to the outside. This solidifies a structure in which the president effectively monopolizes all responsibilities and authorities of state management. Ministers are tasked only with execution according to the president's directives, making it difficult for their judgments or opinions to be validated externally. This structure results in all political burdens concentrating on the president, while the accountability of individual ministries or senior officials is relatively diluted.

Public meetings signify the co-responsibility of accountability.

The instruction by President Lee Jae-myung to publicly review meetings is a significant signal of a shift in the management of state affairs. When meetings are made public, the positions and arguments of ministers and senior officials will be transparently revealed to the public. This goes beyond mere transparency it signifies a co-responsibility for political accountability. A structure is formed where each minister and public official must bear the weight of their statements and the responsibilities that follow. Ministers will no longer be mere technical bureaucrats executing directives but political entities capable of explaining policy judgments and outcomes to the public.

Risk Diversification and Sustainable System Design

When excessive responsibility is concentrated on the president politically, the governance of the country tends to rely too heavily on a single axis. This creates a structure that is vulnerable to change and shocks, where small errors can escalate into significant risks. The public disclosure of the Cabinet meeting can serve as an institutional mechanism to alleviate this imbalanced structure. By recording and making public the processes and decisions discussed in the meetings, a structure of distributed accountability is formed. This can enhance the long-term trustworthiness of government policies and enable a predictable and sustainable administrative system.

The argument about being intimidated in speech, that is a question of the qualification for the position of State Councilor.

One of the most common counterarguments raised against the public disclosure of cabinet meetings is the concern that "free expression may be stifled." When meetings are open to the public, ministers or senior officials may feel pressured and unable to express their true opinions, which could lead to the meetings descending into mere formalities. However, this line of reasoning should rather serve as an opportunity to re-examine the fundamental qualities and sense of responsibility expected of cabinet members. Public officials are those who create and implement national policies on behalf of the citizens. Their statements should be based on public responsibility, not personal opinions, and they should be able to confidently explain their views in front of the public.

Dismantling Responsible Authority, A Signal of System Transition

The directive from President Lee Jae-myung to publicly review the Cabinet meeting is not merely an administrative measure to make the meetings more transparent. It is an experiment in political systems through the restructuring of a president-centered power structure. The core is to create a structure that divides power while also sharing responsibility. A system where participation, responsibility, and authority operate simultaneously goes beyond merely increasing administrative efficiency it enables the deepening of democracy, which can restore political trust and strengthen the legitimacy of power. The transition from a president responsible for 'bearing all the responsibility alone' to a structure of 'let’s share responsibility and make decisions together' is not just a strategy but a choice of values.