[Opinion] Term of the Fair Trade Commission Chairman

The official term of Fair Trade Commission Chairman Kwon Oh-seung ends in March next year. His letter of appointment by President Roh Moo-hyun says the chairman’s term is three years. Kwon has not spoken about whether he will stay, but insiders say he believes he should end his term as stipulated by law. Outsiders, however, say Kwon will not finish his term. Thus rumors about the next chairman are running rampant.

The purpose of guaranteeing the term is to allow the chairman to do his best without influence from the administration. Kwon, however, has disappointed the people and the market, deviating from the right path to take the lead in regulating business and criticizing the media. The commission indiscriminately imposed penalties on small newspaper branches in rural areas. Using administrative force to harass dailies critical of the Roh administration was done to curry favor from the president. Kwon obviously did not do his job properly. Now, to remain in office, he has apparently has done an about-face in warming up to the Lee Myung-bak administration.

The official terms of the chiefs of the Board of Audit and Inspection, the Prosecutor-General’s Office, the National Police Agency and the Financial Supervisory Service are guaranteed for the same purpose as that of the chairman of the Fair Trade Commission.

President Roh told President-elect Lee Myung-bak, “The official term of government officials should be protected.” But President Roh has ignored his own advice. Kim Gak-young tendered his resignation as prosecutor-general four months after his appointment, after President Roh said, “I cannot believe the current leadership of prosecutors.”

Lee Nam-gi, former chairman of the Fair Trade Commission who was appointed by President Kim Dae-jung, resigned with the inauguration of President Roh, leaving five months. Back then, the political tendency of presidents Kim and Roh was about the same. Now, the pendulum swung back to right.

If a pro-regulation figure remains at his post in the new business-friendly administration, this could confuse the market. Kwon should be well aware that the philosophies of the outgoing and incoming administrations are different. The tendency he has shown so far does not fit the new era.

Editorial Writer Park Won-jae, parkwj@donga.com