ED Questionable appointments
Moon’s picks for new ambassadors are inadequate
President Moon Jae-in is expected to replace some ambassadors and ministers later this week according to Cheong Wa Dae.
The reshuffle is drawing keen attention as he is expected to name new ambassadors to be sent to the surrounding major powers, including China, Japan and Russia.
The President’s picks for key envoys are triggering strong criticism as he has decided to recycle some of his close aides despite their insufficient qualifications. The most problematic is the decision to appoint Jang Ha-sung, former presidential chief of staff for policy, as ambassador to China. Jang will be succeeding former ambassador Noh Young-min, who was appointed presidential chief of staff at the beginning of the year after serving briefly as ambassador to China from October 2017 until January.
When Noh became the ambassador to China, Moon was criticized for naming a close aide without any diplomatic background. The post has been vacant since January when Noh returned to Korea to serve as Moon’s chief of staff. It is a relief that this crucial diplomatic post will be finally filled at a critical juncture in Korea’s diplomacy due to the ongoing denuclearization talks with North Korea. But it is disappointing that Moon is repeating a pattern of naming close aides to posts without fully considering whether they are qualified for the job. It is questionable whether Jang will be able to do a better job than Noh as he does not have any professional or academic experience regarding China.
Given the grave impact of China on Korea’s trade and security, Moon should have appointed someone who has a deep knowledge of China and its people and culture. It is uncertain whether a career scholar and economist like Jang has what it takes to fulfill the huge tasks that lie ahead for the Korean ambassador to China.
There are similar concerns for Nam Gwan-pyo, Moon’s choice for ambassador to Japan. Nam previously served as a deputy director of Cheong Wa Dae’s National Security Office and had a long career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but his diplomatic career had never involved Japan.
Korea-Japan relations have noticeably deteriorated since Moon took office. Lately, bilateral ties have been strained over not just longstanding historical conflicts, but also over military tension following Japan’s provocative actions in the last few months. Nam will hopefully do a better job in delivering Korea’s position to Japan than the current Korean Ambassador to Japan Lee Su-hoon, a former professor who has been serving in the post since October 2017.
As Moon enters a critical phase in his presidency, he must abandon the habit of inadequate diplomatic appointments, which give the people the impression the President is not serious about carrying out competent diplomacy.