hankyoreh

So there has been a massive changing of the guard among Blue House staff, a total of seven presidential secretaries out of nine, with one of the remaining two moved to a different position.

The move is unprecedented with the number of people being replaced and the short period since President Lee Myung-bak’s inauguration. Thus, it probably means he considers the current situation as serious and urgent as to warrant such action. As would be his reason for replacing the highly criticized Senior Presidential Secretary for Education, Science and Technology Lee Ju-ho, even though initially it was thought he would be asked to stay on.

There will have to be a thorough examination of the incoming staffers' qualifications and ethical standings, but so far one does not see the same arrogance and self-importance in the appointees as was evident in the first round.

The president appears to have worked hard to find people who have some degree of experience and expertise, avoiding the “people rich in real estate” who either went to Korea University, attend Somang Church, or are from the Yeongnam region. His appointment of someone with a political career to be his chief political secretary and to appoint someone to the new position of special aide for public relations is also a different attitude from the start of his administration, since he is trying to have better communication with the National Assembly and the general public.

It is regrettable, however, that he did not cast his nets into a wider pool when it came to making selections. As was the case the last time, you get the feeling the president did not look much farther beyond people close to him. New Chief of Staff Chung Chung-kil has long been a friend of the president. Public relations appointee Park Hyung-joon worked on his election campaign. Chung Tong-gi, appointed Senior Secretary for Social Policy and Civil Affairs, is someone who sided with the president in the Dogok-dong land investigation.

Even more worrisome is the choice of an untested academic to be chief of staff. Chung Chung-kil is said to have experienced life as a civil servant, but one wonders whether he has expertise in government administration. In addition, it is questionable as to whether or not he has the ability to make political judgments with reference to diverse and complex opinions, and whether he has the ability to tell the president things the president does not want to hear.

It is also of concern that his Senior Secretary for Foreign Affairs and National Security is going to be someone from the foreign ministry who is an America expert. The administration was already wavering on the diplomatic front because of a foreign policy that overemphasizes the United States while creating tensions with China, and has been regressing on inter-Korean relations. Relations with the North show no signs of improving.

These are things the president should keep in mind as he shuffles the cabinet and as he governs from here on in. This is not the time for him to enjoy being able to say that “changing ministers often is not desirable.” He will not win back the country’s trust if he fails to show that the tone of his approach has really changed.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]