안대희 "적폐와 부정부패 척결' 에 모든것 바쳐

Published : May 22, 2014 - 18:15 Updated : May 22, 2014 - 18:18

회견서 '책임총리' 의지 피력…"개인적 삶버리고 적폐일소•개혁"

"물질만능주의•자본주의 탐욕이 국가 흔들수도…공정•법치에 기반둬야"

안대희 국무총리 후보자는 22일 "기회가 주어진 다면 제 개인적 삶을 모두 버리고 비정상적 관행의 제거와 부정부패 척결을 통해 공 직사회를 혁신하고 국가와 사회의 기본을 바로세우겠다"고 밝혔다.

기자회견하고 있는 안대희 총리지명자 (연합)

안 후보자는 이날 오후 총리 지명 직후 정부서울청사 브리핑룸에서 한 기자회견 에서 "초임 검사 때부터 부정부패 척결을 위해 평생을 살아왔다. 제게 국무총리를 맡긴 것은 수십 년 적폐를 일소하라는 것으로 이해한다"며 이 같은 각오를 밝혔다.

안 후보자는 "갑작스러운 총리 지명 통보에 마음이 너무나 무겁고 당혹스럽다.

제가 국가적 위기 상황에 얼마나 기여할 할 수 있을지 두렵다"면서 "봉사할 기회가 주어진다면 제가 국가와 국민으로부터 받은 혜택과 사랑을 되돌려드린다는 마음으로 가진 모든 것을 바쳐 국가의 기본을 세우기 위해 최선을 다하겠다"고 말했다.

또 "세월호 사고로 소중한 가족을 잃은 유가족과 실종자 가족들에게 진심으로 위로의 말씀을 드린다"면서 "이번 세월호 사건을 통해서도 드러난 바와 같이 우리 사회에 만연해 있는 물질 만능주의 풍토와 자본주의 탐욕은 국가와 사회의 기강을 흔들 수도 있다"고 지적했다.

그러면서 "새로운 대한민국을 위한 패러다임은 물질과 탐욕이 아닌 공정과 법치에 기반을 두어야 한다"고 강조했다.

안 후보자는 "또한 기성세대 잘못으로 젊은 세대가 피해를 입어서는 아니될 것"

이라며 "그간 관행으로 불려왔던 비정상적 행태들을 뿌리까지 제거하지 못한다면 젊은 세대들은 그런 질곡에서 벗어나지 못할 것"이라고 밝혔다.

안 후보자는 이와 함께 "국가의 안전 시스템이 확립되도록 온 힘을 다하겠다"며 "헌법이 명한 대로 대통령을 충실히 보좌해 대통령이 여러 차례 밝힌 대로 국가개조 를 위해 혼신의 힘을 다하겠다"고 밝혔다.

이어 "아울러 대통령을 진정으로 보좌하기 위해 헌법과 법률에 따라 옳고 그른 것을 판단해 국가가 바른길, 정상적인 길을 가도록 소신을 갖고 대통령께 가감없이 진언하도록 하겠다"고 덧붙였다.

안 후보자의 이 같은 발언은 '책임총리제'에 대한 강한 의지를 피력한 것으로 해석된다.

안 후보자는 기자회견 직후 박 대통령한테 이날 오후에 연락을 받았느냐는 기자 들의 질문에 고개를 끄덕였지만 나머지 질문에는 대답하지 않았다. (연합)

<관련 영문 기사>

Corruption buster tapped as new P.M.

Ahn prioritizes restoring trust after tragedy

President Park Geun-hye nominated former Supreme Court Judge Ahn Dae-hee as prime minister on Thursday in an initial step to restore the battered image of the government in the wake of the Sewol disaster, implement new policies to enhance national safety and root out corrupt practices in public offices.

Ahn will replace Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, who offered to quit last month, holding himself responsible for the government’s poor handling of the tragedy. The president has also accepted the resignations of National Intelligence Service chief Nam Jae-joon and National Security chief Kim Jang-soo.

With the president’s nomination, Ahn needs parliamentary approval to take his post.

“President Park nominated Ahn Dae-hee as new prime minister today to eradicate corrupt practices in our society and to clean up old evils in the public offices, as part of her efforts to carry out drastic state reform to establish a new Republic of Korea,” said presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook.

Chung will continue his job until Ahn takes office, Min said. The president will carry out a Cabinet reshuffle with the new prime minister’s recommendation, he added.

Shortly after the announcement, Ahn vowed to make a full-fledged effort to reinforce the national safety system and push ahead with reform measures to end “abnormal practices,” and initiate “a paradigm shift for a new Korea Republic.” The nominee said he would also be direct in discussing problems with the president to lead the country to take “a right and normal path.”

“I will take the nomination to root out evils accumulated over the years and push for reform. ... I will devote myself to have the country’s safety system established,” Ahn said at a news conference held in Seoul. “To assist the president with sincerity, I will judge what is right and wrong based on the constitution and the law.”

Min referred to the prime minister-nominee as a competent official to drive Park’s reform measures aimed at bringing about changes in the government, citing his reputation built while serving as a judge at the top court and as a senior official at the prosecution. Ahn led the prosecution’s investigation into a series of political irregularities that involved presidential aides in 2003.

Cheong Wa Dae’s announcement came a few hours after news reports that Ahn could be tapped for the position. Ahn was the head of Park’s political reform committee during her presidential campaign.

Ahn, 59, has not been involved in politics for a while, having opposed President Park over one of her personnel choices. Early last year, Park named former Rep. Han Kwang-ok, a loyalist to the late liberal President Kim Dae-jung, as the inaugural chief of the presidential committee on people’s grand unity. Ahn reportedly opposed her decision.

Before entering Park’s camp, he built his career as a state prosecutor for 26 years and left the prosecution in 2006 after he was named Supreme Court justice by late President Roh Moo-hyun.

Dubbed “the people’s prosecutor,” he drew public attention for his full-fledged crackdown on political irregularities.

In August 2003, Ahn led the all-out clampdown on political funds, in which the then-Grand National Party was hit the hardest. Ironically, the probe was Park’s first opportunity to prove her leadership, eventually earning the nickname “Election Queen” after repeated election wins.

Ahn was said to be one of the most sought-after figures by the parties in their 2012 presidential campaign lineups.

Park has been pressured to pick a new prime minister who could forge national unity after the Sewol tragedy and rebuild public trust in government. The ruling party has been leaning on Park’s decision to woo voters ahead of the local elections on June 4.

The new premier is tasked with leading the office that will be given more responsibility and authority to drive Park’s ambitious reform efforts on improving safety. Under Park’s government reorganization plans, the Prime Minister’s Office will supervise two new ministries -- of national safety and state administration -- which will cover the roles of the Coast Guard, the police and personnel management.

In an apparent effort to placate the angry public, Park said Monday that she felt “ultimately responsible” for the disaster and vowed to carry out sweeping reforms to end corrupt ties and practices between bureaucrats and businessmen, which she believes to be a major cause of the accident.

In a tearful apology, she also pledged to rebuild the nation’s safety standards by launching a new ministry under the Prime Minister’s Office to ensure public safety and security.

By Cho Chung-un
(christory@heraldcorp.com)