[Editorial] To Share or Not to Share Power, That is Confusing

The way President Roh Moo-hyun is running the government is confusing. This is because the number of items he said he would directly take care of has begun to rise just several days after he said he would decentralize power. President Roh said in the middle of the month that he would let the prime minister supervise government routines so that he could concentrate on strategic national tasks. Additionally, he divided government ministries into six groups which would be led by vice prime ministers or “leading” ministers. However, he now said that he would be directly responsible for revamping the discipline of civil servants and cooling housing prices.

His pledge for decentralism has elicited criticism that it may cause efficiency issues because it has blurred the responsibilities and the division of labor between the prime minister, leading ministers, ministers, and presidential committees. Nevertheless, what is more serious is that the concept of decentralism has become ambiguous. Confusion should be further intensified if the president keeps on talking about decentralism, while repeatedly making sensitive comments on ministry-level tasks. This is highlighted by the difference between real-estate policies proposed by economic ministries and the president’s comments.

In this way, the government’s policies and the president’s authority will wind up on shaky ground. From many quarters of the government official community, frustrations have begun to be vented: “Who should we follow?” The top national leadership’s concentration of its energy on bringing yet-undisclosed historical facts is further confusing government bureaucracy. Complaints could be on the rise: When the top priority of the government is given to bygones, how can they concentrate on their jobs?

Nevertheless, the president appears to hold a grudge against government officials for their disobedience. However, they are not the only ones to be blamed. President Roh needs to know how the inertia he has caused in the civil servant community with his inconsistent policies and topsy turvy priorities is affecting his leadership.

In order for a country to be on the right track, each member of the Cabinet should act according to his or her conviction, not ingratiating with the top. In this way, government officials’ morale and job efficiency will improve. President Roh should orientate himself in such a direction. This is the genuine decentralization of power.