Difficulty in finding a candidate for presidential secretary for civil affairs

Someone who is close to the president or whom the president trusts has been appointed as presidential secretary for civil affairs under all administrations because the position requires ascertaining the public sentiment, monitoring the president’s relatives and confidants, and tightening discipline in public offices. A senior politician said, “If the office of the presidential secretary for civil affairs fails to play its due role, the administration cannot succeed.” Former administrations, which fast lapsed into the lame-duck status due to the disclosure of the president’s confidants’ or relatives’ corruption, show how important the role of the office is.

President Park Geun-hye’s three presidential secretaries for civil affairs ungracefully retired in less than one year: Kim Young-han in seven months, Hong Gyeong-sik in 10 months and Kwak Sang-do in six months. The office of the presidential secretary for civil affairs, which is supposed to tighten discipline in public offices, is staggering due to the document leak scandal on Jeong Yoon-hoi, President Park’s former advisor. Prosecutors said, “It seems that former prosecutors are unlikely to become presidential secretary for civil affairs going forward.” Some say that even if someone who is qualified is recommended, he or she would decline the appointment.

Kim Young-han, former presidential secretary for civil affairs, is said to have never met the president in person and been left out during the investigation into the document. President Park said at New Year’s press conference on Monday that Kim`s refusal to attend the parliamentary session was not disobedience, though it was not right to do so. Prosecutors, however, said, “It reminds us of the conflict between Yoon Seok-ryeol, the then chief prosecutor, and Cho Young-gon, the then chief of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, during the parliamentary audit in 2013.” As a rumor on the conflict between Kim Ki-chun, the president’s chief of staff, and Kim Young-han, the former presidential secretary for civil affairs, reveals the weak power of the civil affairs secretary’s position, appointing his successor would be more difficult.

President Park is responsible for setting out the roles and functions of the presidential secretary for civil affairs clearly. A former public prosecutor general said, “There is a need to raise the civil affairs secretary’s standing and present his or her role clearly.” This means that the secretary needs to be able to report to the president in person and be raised to the position equivalent to the “head of presidential secretaries” like those in former administrations. Then, the secretary can report and prevent the corruption of the president’s confidants or relatives. There is a desperate need to find a presidential secretary for civil affairs who can work until the end of the Park administration for the success of the administration.