Ahn Do-geol, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, said on 30th, "How to divide and consolidate the Ministry of Economy and Finance and how to allocate budget functions is a task that must be addressed based on constitutional principles and the foundation of democracy."
Ahn, who previously served as Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, noted at the seminar hosted by the Korean Association of Public Finance on "Reorganization of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy: What Should We Do and How?" that "The discussion on the reorganization of budget functions and the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy is not simply a matter of dividing and consolidating government departments, but rather a question of how strategically the state will address fiscal and climate issues."
Ahn emphasized regarding the establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy that it is an area where "outcomes that citizens can feel and a medium-to-long-term vision are simultaneously demanded." Ahn currently serves as the Head of Team for the 5-year plan task force under the Presidential Committee on Policy Planning, which oversees the new government's national policy tasks, organizational restructuring, and fiscal tax reforms.
The seminar was conducted in two sessions titled "Integration and Diversification of Budget Functions" and "Pros and Cons of Establishing the Ministry of Climate and Energy."
Kim Jong-myeon, a former researcher at the Korea Institute of Public Finance (KIPF) and the presenter of the first session, emphasized that "Our constitution only stipulates the authority for budget preparation and approval, and there are no restrictions on the organizational form of budget entities," noting that the reorganization of budget functions is fully possible without constitutional amendments.
Former researcher Kim stressed that "There should be institutional mechanisms for collecting opinions from the National Assembly and civil society in advance during the budget preparation stage, and strengthening execution management to refine expenditure limits must accompany it." He added, "As budget authority strengthens, political responsibility must also follow, and thus, organizational strengthening and democratic control should be designed together."
Lee Jong-seok, a professor at Gumi University and the presenter of the second session, said that "The establishment of the Ministry of Climate and Energy is an attempt to establish a Korean-style climate policy governance; however, the process management and political consensus surrounding it are more important than the organization itself," explaining that "The sustainability and adaptability of intermediate organizations may be more crucial." This is due to the possibility that even an integrated 'super ministry' could lose policy continuity amidst political conflicts.
Lee further stated, "Strengthening the practical authority of the Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee, establishing a senior secretary for climate policy within the Presidential Office, and ensuring the independence and expertise of climate policy execution agencies must be pursued together," emphasizing that "Securing capacities for 'soft power governance' such as public trust, policy transparency, and stakeholder participation is more important than short-term organizational establishment."
Bae Deuk-jong, president of the Korean Association of Public Finance, noted that "Reform of budget functions and climate policy governance is not just about restructuring administrative frameworks, but rather addressing the core of how the state operates," adding that "Institutional design is needed to establish practical functions within the principles of the constitution."