By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
In a subtle change of leadership style, President Lee Myung-bak belatedly began to embrace civil servants as ``agents for change,'' moving away from his critical view of government employees as ``high-handed, iron rice bowls'' who are a barrier to his reform drive.
The embattled President invited 160 high-ranking officials to Cheong Wa Dae to extend an olive branch to civil servants who are disgruntled at the new leader's constant bashing.
Lee told the participants, ``No measures will be taken to cut additional government jobs during my presidency.''
``Government employees are an agent of change who will play a pivotal role in treating the ailing economy. They should not be regarded as objects that need to be overhauled,'' stressed Lee. The President also pledged to do his part to help government employees focus on their duties.
His embracing gesture was in stark contrast to what he said immediately after he took power in February.
Lee portrayed government employees as people who resisted change out of vested interest.
In private meetings, a high-ranking government official who declined to give his name said, ``Former President Roh Moo-hyun failed as he constantly bashed the media. I am afraid to say that President Lee will get burned as long as he keeps his distance from government employees.''
The shift in the President's view led to a question ― what prompted him to positively characterize their role?
Political analysts said Lee sought to make changes through his top-down leadership style in his first 100 days after the inauguration but found the government employees had become ``passive and disgruntled,'' which frustrated his efforts.
Veteran politicians and political scientists share the view that the stalemate Lee faces in his early presidency largely stems from his corporate leadership style. They advised the President to listen more than speak, to embrace the National Assembly as a partner, and to empower civil servants as agents for change.
During his visit to the Strategy and Finance Ministry in March, Lee criticized finance officials for their ``irresponsive and irresponsible attitude.'' He urged civil servants to be ``responsive'' to the public by offering the services citizens want.
``In my experience, corporate executives spend sleepless nights trying to figure out the strategy to deal with the tough business environment. But this is not the case of government employees in the public sector,'' said Lee.
``Although the people are suffering from the ailing economy, the paychecks of civil servants are not affected. People from working class families are mourning job losses, but government officials still have jobs and no layoffs have been made in the public sector.''
These messages have demoralized civil servants.
Even before taking office, Lee repeatedly said that he would reform the public sector. Lee's team announced in January that it would scrap, merge, or downsize government sectors.
The transition team unveiled a plan to cut 7,000 government jobs in the same month. His team's plan to downsize the public sector met a backlash from government employees. But Lee stood firm in an effort to create a business-friendly environment.
After Lee took office on Feb. 25, his team rescheduled the starting time for Cabinet meetings from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00a.m.