Public critical of presidential aides' resignation offers

By Kang Seung-woo

Despite an en masse resignation offer from six senior presidential secretaries over policy missteps in multiple areas including failed real estate regulations, public sentiment toward President Moon Jae-in's administration is still negative, with people criticizing them for choosing houses over jobs.

The collective move came as Cheong Wa Dae is increasingly coming under fire for what some denounce as hypocrisy, because some of its senior officials own more than one house, going against the government's policy goal to contain speculative home buying and stabilize the housing market.

They have become the target of public criticism for their reluctance to sell their properties in affluent neighborhoods in defiance of the presidential office's “recommendation.”

Four of the six officials had more than one house until early July, including presidential chief of staff Noh Young-min. While Noh sold his two houses afterward, the others have not, though they claim they are in the process of doing so.

Amid this situation, the unprecedented collective departure offers have been met with public ridicule.

“They have proven that expensive apartments in the affluent Gangnam area are more important than jobs at Cheong Wa Dae,” an online user wrote on a portal site, while another likened their resignation offer to a refusal to sell lucrative properties, saying, “Authority is short but an apartment is permanent.”

“When housing prices skyrocket by billions of won, who would dare to sell their houses to maintain non-regular employment at Cheong Wa Dae?” another online user asked. Many commentators agreed that the resignation offers meant housing prices will never fall.

The opposition parties also condemned the senior secretaries, who they claimed prioritized their profitable properties above their service at the presidential office.

“Kim Jo-won, the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs who owns two homes in Gangnam, has chosen property over duty. Kim Oe-sook, the senior presidential secretary for personnel affairs, who made the excuse that she couldn't find a person to buy one of her houses, will unfortunately remain a multiple home owner,” said Rep. Kim Eun-hye, a spokesman for the main opposition United Future Party.

The resignation offers ― even if they are entirely or partially accepted ― may not be enough to relieve the public anger and cynicism toward Cheong Wa Dae.

The minor opposition Justice Party and the People's Party insisted that instead of the six people, those who are in charge of the government's real estate policy ― Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki, Land Minister Kim Hyun-mee and presidential chief of staff for policy Kim Sang-jo ― should step down, taking responsibility for the situation.

“What we need is not change of presidential aides but President Moon's bold change in policies,” Justice Party spokesman Kim Jong-cheol said, Friday.

Kim said the key in the change lay in replacing Hong, Kim Hyun-mee and Kim Sang-jo, who were most responsible for the housing policy.

“Without holding those people accountable, replacing the six officials will not help Cheong Wa Dae gain public support,” Kim said.

It is not yet known whether President Moon will accept the resignation offers for all six of the officials. He is expected to accept some of them to cushion the impact of a mass departure on the management of state affairs. In addition, Cheong Wa Dae is likely to struggle to find replacements due to a new criterion that rejects owners of multiple homes.