Government of South Korea - Executive Branch

Executive Branch

The executive branch is headed by the president. The president is elected directly by the people, and is the only elected member of the national executive. The president serves for one five-year term; additional terms are not permitted. The president is head of government, head of state, and commander in chief of the South Korean armed forces. The president is vested with the power to declare war, and can also propose legislation to the National Assembly. He can also declare a state of emergency or martial law, subject to the Assembly's subsequent approval. However, the president does not have the power to dissolve the National Assembly. This safeguard reflects the experience of totalitarian governments under the First, Third, and Fourth Republics.

In the event that they are suspected of serious wrongdoing, the president and cabinet-level officials are subject to impeachment by the National Assembly. Once the National Assembly votes in favor of the impeachment the Constitutional Court should either confirm or reject the impeachment resolution, once again reflecting the system of checks and balances between the three branches of the government.

The president is assisted in his duties by the Prime Minister of South Korea as well as the Presidential Secretariat. The Prime Minister is appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly, and has the power to recommend the appointment or dismissal of cabinet ministers. The Prime Minister is assisted in his duties by the Prime Minister's Office, headed by a cabinet-level minister. In the event that the president is unable to fulfill his duties, the Prime Minister assumes the president's powers and takes control of the state until the president can once again fulfill his duties or until a new president is elected.