Ed Recycled trade minister

Kim Hyun-chong’s reappointment to his old job of trade minister has been questioned, especially over his effectiveness in warding off the U.S. attempt to renegotiate the Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA).

The Columbia Law School graduate stumbled upon the job of Korea’s top trade negotiator with the U.S. and became an instant star upon its settlement in 2007.

But much of his high-praised achievement should be regarded as myth rather than legend. In one anecdote, he was said to have told the U.S. negotiators to accept the Korean proposal or pack up and go home. Kim’s supposed ultimatum is often cited as one of the few derring-do moments Korea had over its bigger trading and security partner, but its effectiveness is highly questionable. If his rough and tumble style had worked then, it would be the least recommendation in dealing with the Trump anti-FTA initiative.

The reason is that this time his job is saving the current deal that the U.S. sees as benefiting Korea at its expense. Korea has recorded billions of dollars in annual trade surpluses, many times up from before the KORUS FTA kicked in. His take-it-or-leave-it attitude may only leave Korea on the short end of the deal.

Kim’s alleged anti-agricultural and pro-business tendencies may be a matter of concern. He worked as chief of Samsung Group’s legal department, during which he was highly protective of business interests. He was said to have sacrificed farmers for the FTA then. Already, parties of interest have attacked him. In other words, whatever deal he gets may hurt farmers even more.

Then, Kim’s reappointment raises a question about whether the government searched hard enough. There could be many other potentially better alternatives such as a more reliable Kim Jong-hoon, who teamed up with the new trade minister during the KORUS FTA negotiations. Kim has been engaged in his line of expertise, including serving one term as lawmaker. Or the job could better have gone to young, talented negotiators.

Besides, even before his term ended and possibly in violation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, Kim was yanked from his WTO stint, a high-profile job that may now go to a national from another country.

Recycling Kim appears owed to the old, much criticized practice of “code politics,” a tendency to make appointments on the basis of connections, which the current government had successfully avoided so far.