Kang Geum-sil: “I Became Skeptical about My Position When I Had to Be in the Center of Politics”

Kang Geum-sil, Justice minister, said on July 29 at her outgoing ceremony, “When you leave without saying what you’ve really wanted to say, this is a farewell.” It remains as a mystery what she wanted to say, and to whom.

Her encounter with President Roh Moo-hyun was special. President Roh made an unprecedented step by appointing her, a 40-something woman with no experience as a prosecutor, as the first Justice minister of the participatory government. Former Minister Kang also pushed ahead an unorthodox reformation of the political neutralism of the prosecution and the personnel management issue.

The special meeting ended when President Roh unexpectedly replaced the minister.

Cheong Wa Dae explained that the replacement naturally took place because Kang, the former minister, duly performed her role over one year and five months. However, whether this is the true reason that President Roh substituted former Minister Kang is questionable.

Cheong Wa Dae also said that they considered her opinion that “I want to take a rest” when making the decision. It emphasized on an “agreed” split. It is hard to believe, however, considering Kang herself was notified on the morning of the very day that she was replaced.

A few prosecutors at the Justice Ministry and the Supreme Public Prosecutor’s Office said that they could imagine a real reason for a separation after looking at former Minister Kang’s farewell message that said, “I became skeptical about my position as Justice minister when I had to position myself at the center of politics.”

In fact, Kang indeed was asked to be at the center of politics throughout her tenure as minister; she was asked to run for the presidential election for a ruling party, and to “control the prosecution.”

She has tried to escape from politics, however. She attempted to approach politics once, but said, “I want to be free,” feeling tired as she neared the political realm. Politics were full of arguments, but she said, “I want to win without fighting.”

“I don’t want to be born again,” replied Kang when a reporter asked what she wanted to be if born again, at a private meeting. The news that she was being replaced might have been “such happy news” for her.

It looks like the fundamental reason for the split between President Roh and Kang lay in an “incompatible” dissimilarity between power and freedom.

Soo-Hyung Lee sooh@donga.com