[Editorial] President Lee Should Keep His Words

In his 8700-word inaugural speech yesterday, President Lee Myung-bak shared with the nation his pledges and determination as the 17th president. He said that he would make Korea a nation where the government serves the people with dedication, the economy is robust, the management and labor come together to help the weak and socially marginalized, high-quality, global human resources are nurtured and where the world’s talents gather. This is the vision he envisages for the nation, Lee said.

A president’s inaugural speech contains the outline of the new administration’s tasks for the next five years and its commitment to the nation. Although the nation expects the administration to complete what it has promised, the reality is often not in its favor. Moreover, running a nation is vastly different from running a company or a city, President Lee’s forte in the past. The decision-making process will be tougher as more parties are involved when it comes to national affairs.

President Lee promised that he would begin his work by making a more capable, efficient and small government based on big market principles. Unfortunately, his plans to reform the governmental organization and form the Cabinet have recently undermined the trust the nation had in him. His reform pledges are in tatters due to the clashes between the ruling and opposition parties. Due to the weak verification of his choice of men and insensitivity towards the public sentiment, the nation has witnessed a minister-to-be resigning even before the official appointment verification takes place. Some have also raised concerns over whether the verification would take a proper course in the National Assembly. Lee has no one else to blame but himself for the mess he is in and the criticism of the opposition parties. No wonder Korean people have become more skeptical about Lee’s pledges that he would make a capable government.

Lee also said in his speech, “The nation must take care of those in desperate needs. Therefore, welfare polices will focus on leaving no one behind with active and preventive measures.” However, it is easier said than done since his plans would require a strong budget. On the education front, he will face a tough battle against the Korean Teachers & Education Workers’ Union, who strongly oppose his education reform plans. It will also be challenging to attract global talents to Korea without providing appropriate infrastructure. He said he would harmonize the management and labor, but it is yet another tricky task. It would be naive to expect the labor unions to drop their hard line measures all at once even if the president engages in direct talks with them.

In order to complete these challenging tasks, Lee must be professional in executing his plans which also have to be immaculate. If he fails to deliver on his promises in the speech, he will not be remembered as a successful president. At the same time, the people should actively join him in his efforts, just as he urged them to do so in the speech. He is not in this alone. Without the support of the people, his passion alone can never make Korea an advanced nation.