Jeju support committee expands to 35 members under revised decree

The land ministry and the interior ministry said Tuesday that South Korea's support committee for Jeju Special Self-Governing Province will grow to as many as 35 members from 30, under a presidential decree that took effect the same day.

The revision, issued as a partial amendment to the enforcement decree of the special act on Jeju, adds the head of any central government agency designated by the committee chair in connection with an agenda item as an ex officio member. It also writes into the rules that appointed members serve two-year terms and may be reappointed only once; a member appointed to fill a vacancy serves the remainder of the predecessor's term.

The decree introduces conflict-of-interest provisions for the first time. A member must recuse from deliberation and voting on an item if the member, a spouse or a former spouse is a party to it or shares a right or obligation with a party; if the member is or was a relative of a party under the Civil Act; if the member has performed or is performing services, advice, research, appraisal or investigation on the item; or if the member or the member's organisation is or was the party's representative. A party may also request that a member be excluded, with the committee deciding by vote and the member in question barred from that vote, and members must withdraw themselves when they judge their impartiality cannot be expected.

Appointed members cannot be non-Korean nationals, people disqualified under the State Public Officials Act, or people registered as candidates in elections held under the Public Official Election Act or the Local Education Autonomy Act. The prime minister must dismiss a member who falls under those categories, the decree says.

To handle the committee's administrative work, a working support team will sit inside the Office for Government Policy Coordination. The office's chief may merge it with other support bodies of similar function, and may request that central agencies, local governments and public institutions second staff to it when needed. The committee chair may also hire fixed-term expert officials for the team within the budget.

Other changes extend the notice period for convening meetings to seven days from three and let the chair invite officials, employees of related organisations or private experts to attend and give their views. The committee may commission outside research and gather opinion on Jeju-related matters through surveys, public hearings and seminars.