Key appointed officials stay 1-6 months seeking general elections

Lee Kwan-seop, the new Chief of Staff of the Office of the President, has assumed the position less than a month after being appointed as the director of National Policy. Former Trade, Industry, and Energy Minister Bang Moon-kyu stepped down to run in next April's general elections, three months after transitioning from the Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination to the ministry. Three vice ministers of key economic ministries - Kim Wan-seop, the second vice minister of Economy and Finance; Kim Oh-jin, the first vice minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport; and Park Sung-hoon, the vice minister of Oceans and Fisheries - also resigned to run in the general elections six months after their appointments.

The duties of the Director of the presidential office and the deputy ministers of key economic ministries are enormous. Along with the foreign and security ministries, they constitute one of the backbones of the administration. The presidential office created the position of director of National Policy, stating that the Chief of Staff had too many duties, thereby assigning responsibilities for Economic Affairs and social policy. However, only a month later, the Chief of Staff resigned, and the Director of National Policy assumed the role of Chief of Staff. A professor filled the position of Director of National Policy with no experience in national affairs. Meanwhile, five of the six senior secretaries to the president were replaced because they would run in the general elections. Each of these situations is quite unnerving.

While it is an individual's freedom to serve as a minister or vice minister and run for the National Assembly, it is unusual for a government to appoint individuals to these positions, knowing that they will enter politics only three or six months later. Even in the former Moon Jae-in administration four years ago, when many ministers and vice ministers resigned ahead of the April 2020 general elections, criticisms arose regarding whether state positions were being utilized to boost their reputations. Nevertheless, there were no 'three-month or six-month vice ministers' during that time.

When the presidential office appointed the former minister, Bang Moon-kyu, it stated that he was “the right person to push forward the national tasks of fostering core strategic industries, regulatory innovation, and export promotion.” Kim Oh-jin, the first deputy minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, and Park Sung-hoon, the vice minister of Oceans and Fisheries, had worked as secretaries to Political Affairs in the presidential office, both of whom lacked relevant experience with their respective ministries. They were given ministerial experience in preparation for the general elections.

The ideal for any bureaucratic organization, whether it be a presidential office or a ministry, is seamless operation even amid leadership changes. However, this is not the case right now. Even if ministers, vice ministers, and deputy ministers have complete control over their work and employees move in unison with them, fulfilling their duties is not easy, and the slightest negligence can lead to disaster. This is why it is not a domestic or business affair but a national one. No household or company functions in such a manner; this government appears to treat national affairs too lightly.