State Council (South Korea)
| 국무회의 | |
 Emblem of the Government of South Korea | |
.JPG) Main hall of the Blue House | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 15 August 1948 |
| Type | Highest executive body of the unitary presidential constitutional republic government |
| Jurisdiction | Government of South Korea |
| Headquarters | |
| Motto | Hongik Ingan (To broadly benefit the human world) |
Agency executives | |
| Website | Official website |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 국무회의 |
| Hanja | 國務會議 |
| RR | Gungmuhoeui |
| MR | Kungmuhoeŭi |
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The State Council (Korean: 국무회의) is the chief executive body and national cabinet of South Korea involved in discussing "important policies that fall within the power of the Executive" as specified by the Constitution. The most influential part of the executive branch of the government of South Korea are the ministries.[1]
Roles
[edit]The State Council is the highest body for policy deliberation and resolution in the executive branch of South Korea. Article 89 of the South Korean constitution specifies what "important policies that fall within the power of the Executive" the State Council has to deliver:[2]
# Basic plans for state affairs, and general policies of the Executive;
- Declaration of war, conclusion of peace and other important matters pertaining to foreign policy;
- Draft amendments to the Constitution, proposals for national referenda, proposed treaties, legislative bills, and proposed presidential decrees;
- Budgets, settlement of accounts, basic plans for disposal of state properties, contracts incurring financial burden on the State, and other important financial matters;
- Emergency orders and emergency financial and economic actions or orders by the President, and declaration and termination of martial law;
- Important military affairs;
- Requests for convening an extraordinary session of the National Assembly;
- Awarding of honors;
- Granting of amnesty, commutation and restoration of rights;
- Demarcation of jurisdiction among the Ministries of the Executive;
- Basic plans concerning delegation or allocation of powers within the Executive;
- Evaluation and analysis of the administration of state affairs;
- Formulation and coordination of important policies of each Executive Ministry;
- Action for the dissolution of a political party;
- Examination of petitions pertaining to executive policies submitted or referred to the Executive;
- Appointment of the Prosecutor General, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Staff of each armed service, the presidents of national universities, ambassadors, and such other public officials and managers of important state-run enterprises as designated by Act; and
- Other matters presented by the President, the Prime Minister or a member of the State Council.
The State Council of South Korea performs somewhat different roles than those of many other nations with similar forms. As the Korean political system is basically a presidential system yet with certain aspects of the parliamentary system combined, the council is a combination of both systems. More specifically, the Korean State Council performs policy resolutions as well as policy consultations to the President. Reflecting that South Korea is basically a presidential republic the State Council resolutions cannot bind the president's decision, and in this regard the Korean State Council is similar to advisory councils in strict presidential republics. At the same time, however, the Constitution of South Korea specifies in details 17 categories including budgetary and military matters, which necessitates the resolution of the State Council in addition to the President's approval, and in this regard the Korean State Council is similar to those State Councils in strict parliamentary systems.[2]
Meetings
[edit]Although the president is the chairman of the council, the Prime Minister nevertheless frequently holds the meetings without the presence of the President as the meeting can be lawfully held as long as the majority of the State Council members are present at the meeting. Also, as many government agencies have recently been moved out of Seoul into other parts of the country, the need to hold State Council meetings without having to convene in one place at the same time has been growing, and therefore the law has been amended to allow State Council meetings in a visual teleconference format.[3]
Members
[edit]As of August 2020, the Executive Branch of the government operates 23 ministries, 18 administrative authorities, 2 boards, 4 offices, and 7 committees.[4] The State Council includes 18 ministers, the prime minister and the president. Ministers must be appointed into the State Council before confirmation by the National Assembly. The president is the chairperson of the State Council, and the prime minister is the vice-chairperson.[5]
Although not the official members of the State Council the following individuals, and other officials designated by law or deemed necessary by the Chairperson of the State Council, can also attend State Council meetings and speak in front of the State Council without the right to vote on the matters discussed in the meetings of the SC-ROK.[6] The individuals are:
- Presidential Chief of Staff (대통령비서실장)
- Director of the National Security Office (국가안보실장)
- Chief Presidential Secretary for Policy (대통령정책실장)
- Minister of Government Policy Coordination (국무조정실장)
- Minister of Personnel Management (인사혁신처장)
- Minister of Government Legislation (법제처장)
- Minister of Food and Drug Safety (식품의약품안전처장)
- Chairperson of the Korea Fair Trade Commission (공정거래위원회위원장)
- Chairperson of the Financial Services Commission (금융위원회위원장)
- Mayor of Seoul (서울특별시장)
- Mayor of Jeonnam–Gwangju (전남광주통합특별시장)
The Mayor of Seoul and Jeonnam–Gwangju, although being the head of a local autonomous region in South Korea and not directly related to the central executive branch, have been allowed to attend State Council meetings considering the special status of Seoul and Jeonnam–Gwangju as the Special Cities and their mayors as the only two cabinet-level mayor in Korea.
Current members
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List of cabinets of South Korea
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Executive Branch". Government of South Korea. Prime Minister's Office of South Korea. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- 1 2 Article 89, Section 4, Constitution of South Korea, 29 October 1987, retrieved 4 June 2013
- ↑ 대한민국 국무회의 규정 제6조 제2항
- ↑ "Korea.net : The official website of the Republic of Korea". Korea.net. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
- ↑ Government Organization Act (정부조직법) Art. 12 (Promulgation No. 14839, Last amended 2017-07-26). https://elaw.klri.re.kr/eng_service/lawView.do?hseq=44197&lang=ENG
- ↑ 대한민국 국무회의 규정 제8조
- ↑ Park, Anna J. (7 June 2026). "SMEs Minister Han Seong-sook tapped as new PM". The Korea Times. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
- ↑ Yi, Whan-woo (1 July 2026). "New PM vows to fast-track Korea's AI push on 1st day in office". The Korea Times. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
- ↑ "(LEAD) New PM vows to help gov't keep up with fast-changing private sector". Yonhap News Agency. 1 July 2026. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
- ↑ Lee, Haye-ah (22 September 2026). "Lee approves appointments of finance, defense, land minister nominees". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
- ↑ Kang, Hyeon-woo (23 June 2025). "LG's AI chief named science minister nominee". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ↑ 임형섭. "李대통령, 배경훈 과기부장관 임명안 재가…새 정부 처음". 韩联社. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 "(LEAD) Lee names new education, gender ministers". Yonhap News Agency. 13 August 2025.
- ↑ Kim, Min-ki (11 September 2025). "Lee appoints Choi Kyo-jin as education minister despite controversies". The Chosun Daily. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
- ↑ Ji, Da-gyum (23 June 2025). "Cho Hyun: Veteran diplomat with broad global, trade experience". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- 1 2 Cite error: The named reference
:10was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ↑ Park, Boram (23 June 2025). "(profile) Veteran lawmaker Chung nominated for second term as unification minister". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- 1 2 설승은. "李대통령, 정동영·안규백·권오을 장관 임명안 재가". 韩联社. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ↑ Choi, He-suk (22 September 2026). "Lee appoints finance, defense and land ministers". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
- ↑ Cite error: The named reference
ynanomineewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ↑ 설승은. "李대통령, 윤호중 행안부 장관 임명안 재가". 韩联社. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ↑ Park, Boram (23 June 2025). "(profile) 3-term lawmaker from conservative bloc named as veterans minister". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ↑ "Choi Hwi-young appointed Minister of Culture, sparking debate over qualifications". ChosunBiz. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ↑ "최휘영 문체장관 "콘텐츠산업 도약으로 K-컬처 300조원 달성"" (in Korean). 韩联社. 31 July 2025.
- ↑ Hong, Kyung-ui (23 June 2025). "尹 정부 마지막 농식품부 장관 송미령 유임". Sisa News (in Korean). Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ↑ Park, Han-na (29 June 2025). "Economic technocrat-turned-Doosan executive nominated as industry minister". The Korea Herald.
- ↑ 법무장관 정성호·민정수석 봉욱..경제부총리 구윤철·사회부총리 이진숙. 4th.kr (in Korean). 29 June 2025.
- 1 2 3 고동욱 (21 July 2025). "李대통령, 김영훈 노동·김성환 환경·정은경 복지장관 임명안 재가". 연합뉴스 (in Korean (South Korea)).
- ↑ Ahn, Kyung-min (23 June 2025). 김성환 환경부 장관 내정자는 누구? '이재명표 기후 정책' 주도. Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ↑ Choi, Jeong-yoon (23 June 2025). "Kim Young-hoon: Former KCTU head to lead Labor Ministry". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ↑ "Won Min-kyung, the new Minister of Gender Equality and Family ..." 매일경제. 10 September 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ↑ Choi, He-suk (22 September 2026). "Lee appoints finance, defense and land ministers". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 22 September 2026.
- ↑ "Veteran maritime policymaker nominated as oceans minister". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 2 March 2026. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
- ↑ "Hwang Jong-woo, the new Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, said on the 25th that he would foster Busa.. - MK". 매일경제. 25 March 2026. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
- ↑ Song, Jong-ho (22 September 2026). "Lee Approves Appointments of SME Minister, Deputy Prosecutor General". Seoul Economic Daily. Retrieved 23 September 2026.
- ↑ "(URGENT) Lee appoints three-term DP lawmaker Kang Hoon-sik as chief of staff". Yonhap News Agency. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
- ↑ Park, Sang-ki (10 July 2026). "President Lee Appoints Lim Ki-keun as Government Policy Chief". The Chosun Ilbo. Retrieved 5 August 2026.
- ↑ Park, So-jeong (20 July 2025). "Choi Dong-seok appointed as first head of South Korea's Ministry of Personnel Management". ChosunBiz.
- ↑ Lee, Hyeon-seung (13 July 2025). "Jo Won-cheol appointed as South Korea's new Minister of Legislation amid Daejang-dong case". ChosunBiz.
- ↑ Kim, Kyung-rak (29 June 2025). 인공지능 의약품 법적 기준 만든 오유경 식약처장 유임. The Hankyoreh (in Korean). Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- 1 2 "李대통령 이억원 금융위원장·주병기 공정위원장 임명안 재가" (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. 13 September 2025.
- ↑ Park, Bo-ram (21 August 2026). "(LEAD) Lee appoints senior trade official Park Jung-sung as new trade minister". Yonhap News Agency. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
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