[Opinion] Self-Indulgent Bustling of Presidential Aides

Candlelight vigils are rapidly spreading nationwide after the agriculture minister made an official notice on the resumption of U.S. beef imports. On May 31, a week after the first rally, as many as 60,000 Koreans, including 40,000 in the capital Seoul alone, took to the street. The opponents even go as far as demanding the president step down. Aside from the sheer size of the crowd, what makes the current situation all the more serious is that the rallies comprise people from various walks of life, including students, reserve soldiers, housewives and office workers, all taking part in the protest voluntarily. Some presidential advisers and secretaries reportedly visited one venue of the rallies to hear the popular voice. Kwak Seung-jun, presidential secretary for national policy planning, even wore a cap and glasses to camouflage.

Lee Jong-chan, senior presidential aide for civil affairs, stayed on the streets until 2-3 a.m. and talked with citizens without notifying to the police. Park Jae-wan, senior secretary for political affairs, was there as well in disguise. His men take shifts everyday to see the rally firsthand at the Cheonggye Plaza. What they learned from their secret inspection is identical: public resentment against the administration is bitter than they expected. One senior secretary said, “I couldn’t help but think the government really needs to think over what it had done.”

The new administration boasted of being industrious as their top virtue, coming to work earlier and leaving later than any former administrations. Their slogans were “Be an early bird” and “We have three Fridays, and no weekend.” Long working hours, however, do not necessarily guarantee efficient work. Were they really doing something during the hours or just trying to keep up with the schedule of Lee Myung-bak, a renowned hard worker? I could not help but suspect whether their overtime working was really for public content, not for their own contentment. Feigned diligence and assumed overwork cannot win the heart of people. Had they been out there on the streets earlier, public sentiment would not have gotten so hostile.

Public servants say they are so busy that they begin working before the sun rises. But the president had to bark at them after hearing their reports, asking why there was nothing new other than what was already on the newspapers. Critics say they got too used to being heard rather than listening, and way too naïve to know what is going on in the real world. The primary cause behind public indignation is that they were not listening to what people had to say. They have emphasized communication, but the place where communication is needed the most is the inside of the administration.

Editorial Writer Huh Mun-myeong (angelhuh@donga.com)