ED Repeated mistakes

Diplomatic blunders fan criticism over 'amateurism'

Cheong Wa Dae cannot deflect criticism for having used the national flag of Germany while uploading news on President Moon Jae-in's visit to Austria on social media. The presidential office changed the flag later after the blunder was pointed out by netizens, attributing it to “mistake” by officials in charge. It is a grave diplomatic blunder over which Korea needs to extend a sincere apology to both European nations.

Such a blunder could have been prevented had the “officials” paid a little more attention in posting the flag. How on earth can they carry out their official duties with such an insincere attitude? What matters is that Cheong Wa Dae has repeatedly made similar mistakes over the past years. Most recently, a dispute arose as the video for the opening ceremony of the “Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals (P4G) 2030 Seoul Summit” hosted by President Moon showed a picture of the North Korean capital of Pyongyang instead of Seoul.

Despite such a grave error of misidentifying its own host city ― the capital of South Korea ― the presidential office attempted to play down the controversy by describing it as “merely a mistake.” The Moon administration also invited international cynicism by deleting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa who posed at the far left in a group photo of the heads of state in the process of making a poster to advertise Moon's participation in the Group of Seven (G7) Summit.

They fabricated the photo in order for Moon to appear at the center. In the face of mounting criticism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism belatedly said it would take punitive measures against related officials. In such a circumstance, the administration should also officially apologize to South Africa as such a blunder is a serious discourtesy to the nation and its people.

Moon also triggered criticism when he asked Franz-Werner Haas, CEO of pharmaceutical firm CureVac, Tuesday, to “positively consider Korea as a production hub of COVID-19 vaccine.” During a video conference, Moon also pledged government support for the German company. The government underlined the fact as an “achievement of vaccine diplomacy.” Yet, the firm noted its product CVnCoV has only a 47 percent vaccine efficacy rate via its homepage the next day.

The medicine will unlikely get permission for use as a COVID-19 vaccine due to rules of requiring more than a 50 percent efficacy rate. This shows how Moon and his staffers are ignorant of the overseas vaccine trend and information. It is deplorable for Moon to call for the production of the vaccine in Korea as the German firm was set to announce its failed vaccine program, and for the administration to publicize it as an “achievement.”

There had been numerous cases of such blunders over the four years since the onset of the Moon administration. For starters, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs came under barrage of salvos in 2018 for misidentifying the “Czech Republic as “Czechoslovakia” which was the state's name 26 years ago. Repeated mistakes cannot be regarded as “mere mistakes.” It proves the “amateurism” and slack discipline in officialdom. Before being too late, Moon should tighten discipline among officials especially at this time when he has only 10 months left in office.