Three and a half years left for President Yoon

Since South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol took office one and a half years ago, a plethora of challenges have arisen at home and abroad, overshadowing the upgrade of the KORUS alliance and other achievements. It is still questionable whether President Yoon’s pledge to restore the values of fairness and common sense has been applied as to how policies are implemented and government personnel are recruited. With much focus put on assigning former prosecutors to key posts and launching prosecutorial investigations of the opposition party, the administration has put the job of revitalizing the economy and stabilizing the livelihoods of citizens on the back burner. The current administration is mainly to blame, apart from the hurdles to the operation of the National Assembly, where the opposition party holding the majority does not cooperate or makes an objection.

In response, President Yoon’s approval rating has reflected public opinion. Even with 49 percent of votes earned in the presidential election, the approval rating dropped to the 30 percent range in two months of the presidency, since it has not yet turned around. The trends in his approval rating mirror the fact that many of his core supporters have been disappointed with how he governs the administration. Although he left Cheong Wa Dae, the perceived symbol of outdated leadership, it is somewhat skeptical of whether his words have been kept to walk away from the imperial presidency and listen carefully to his key aides. In the meantime, the incumbent administration has compared itself to the former Moon Jae-in administration to seemingly attempt to avoid criticism, only tiring out the public. Added to this, there has been a lack of effort to hold those in charge accountable for scandalous incidents and accidents, including the Halloween crowd crush in Itaewon and confusion in policy implementation. Citizens may want to know if he still believes those responsible must be thoroughly investigated, just as he said one year ago.

President Yoon is asked by citizens whether the country has taken the right road over the past one and a half years and if he has shown great leadership on the path. This summer, he remarked that ideological beliefs matter most. He also said that arguing with one another is part of what ministers do. Such comments may prove that he lost touch with public opinion. Not until the ruling party's loss in the by-election for the Gangseo-gu District chief did he acknowledge that public opinions give the right answer at all times, unconditionally. There is an urgent need to change how he communicates regarding policy directions and personnel management so that his decisions can come across convincingly.

Change should start with the president and his close aides rather than with the administration and the ruling party. It has been more than one year since he answered questions from the press members. The last official press conference was held in August last year. By any means, this is not seen as a normal way of leadership. The president should go beyond merely listening to citizens on the street, just as he did during the presidential campaign to replying to a pile of questions regarding diplomacy toward China in the new Cold War era, governance in cooperation with the opposition party and guidelines of reform to the national pension system. Above all, he should change how he nominates government officials. Who is assigned to a key post reflects what the president looks for in candidates. He can restore support only when he looks further to find the right person who can be accepted favorably by citizens.

President Yoon has three and a half years to go before he leaves office, although only the next two years may allow him to have absolute power in his presidency. He may find it not easy to fulfill his pledges to reform the labor market, the national pension system, and the education sector, given that such reforms will be met with opposition from those who will see less benefit. It takes sophisticated skills and bold actions to complete such daunting jobs. Also, it matters how to convince citizens to willingly cooperate and endure inconveniences or disadvantages. It is President Yoon who stands at the forefront of making this happen. How much change he can bring about will determine how people remember him after he ends his terms.