President doesn't get it
President Park Geun-hye speaks during a New Year press conference at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. / Korea Times photo by Hong In-ki
Park ignores public call for sacking of four top aides
By Jun Ji-hye
President Park Geun-hye stood by her chief of staff and three secretaries, Monday, who are under criticism for impeding her governance.
“Chief of staff Kim Ki-choon doesn’t pursue any self-interest,” Park said at a New Year press conference at Cheong Wa Dae. “He devotes himself to his job despite a grave affair in his family.”
Seated in the front row of top presidential secretaries and ministers, Kim momentarily grimaced. His son has been in a vegetative state for about a year, but he recently said he was sorry as father for not frequently visiting him.
Park also defended the three secretaries, who have personal ties to her, saying, “Who would work for me, if I abandoned them for doing their work diligently?”
Park said, “The first thing that the presidential office needs to do is settle pending issues. A matter related to Kim’s position will be decided after all issues are wrapped up.”
There had been a buildup of public opinion for Park to fire the four before Monday’s conference in order to have a fresh start for her third-year in office, the only window of opportunity for her to devote herself to working on her agenda without worrying about any big elections.
The chief of staff is often criticized for his lack of competence.
On Friday, Kim Young-han, a former senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, disobeyed his instructions to attend a National Assembly session for questioning on the “memogate” scandal.
He is suspected of intervening in the prosecution’s investigation into the scandal.
His act of disobedience was unprecedented and added to the public concern about the lack of discipline at the presidential office.
The case is also related to the three secretaries — Lee Jae-man, secretary for administrative affairs; and Jeong Ho-sung and An Bong-geun, two personnel secretaries.
The three faced allegations that they controlled state affairs thanks to Park’s confidence even before the memogate scandal. They were exonerated in a recent prosecutor’s investigation that, however, failed to clear up public suspicions.
Yoon Hee-woong, head of public opinion research firm Min Consulting, said Park’s decision to keep her controversial confidants showed a gap between public expectation and Park’s perception.
“As Park neglected the people’s expectation toward reforming Cheong Wa Dae officials, her other suggestions over inter-Korean relations and economic policies, for example, will be overlooked,” he said.
Yoon downplayed Park’s remark that she would decide on possibly replacing her chief of staff after current issues are settled.
“Her comments can be rather taken to mean that she will not hold Kim responsible for the ongoing controversy. Even if she changes her chief of staff some day, it will not be because of the memogate scandal or the indiscipline case,” he said.
The political scandal centered on leaked memoranda from Cheong Wa Dae that suggested Park’s former confidant, Jeong Yun-hoe, intervened in state affairs, although he held no position in officialdom, by maintaining close relations with 10 presidential secretaries, including the trio.
Regarding the memogate scandal, Park said that prosecutors mobilized all possible means including scientific investigation to unearth the truth, and concluded that it was based on fabricated rumors.
She also made clear that she did not see Kim Young-han’s resignation as a case of disobedience, apparently attempting to protect her chief of staff.
Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye