President to seek turnaround through reshuffle

President Moon Jae-in speaks during a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae, Monday. Yonhap

By Do Je-hae

President Moon Jae-in recently suffered a huge political setback following an administrative court ruling that overturned his endorsement of a disciplinary committee's decision to suspend Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl from duty.

This incident aggravated the public disapproval of his performance, along with months-long complaints over his failure to curb rising housing prices and the recent news of the government's late procurement of COVID-19 vaccines

A Realmeter survey showed Monday that 59. 7 percent of respondents thought the President was doing a bad job, setting a new high for the negative evaluation of Moon since his inauguration in May 2017. The positive review of his performance was 36.7 percent, the lowest figure he has received and the same rating as two weeks ago.

It is widely expected that Moon will reshuffle his Cabinet and Cheong Wa Dae as a way to change the mood in the administration and engineer a turnaround in state management.

Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae is expected to be the first to be replaced as she already offered to resign Dec. 16, the same day Moon approved the decision reached by the disciplinary committee of the justice ministry to suspend the top prosecutor over a number of allegations of misconduct, including alleged surveillance of judges involved in sensitive cases connected to the Moon administration. At the time, the President said he highly evaluated Choo's role in progressing with prosecutorial reform and the establishment of a Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials.

As the disciplinary committee's decision, not so tacitly led by Choo and publicly approved by Moon, was overturned it may be difficult for the President to keep Choo in her position.

In addition, some other ministers are expected to be replaced in a reshuffle next month, including Culture Minister Park Yang-woo; SMEs and Startups Minister Park Young-sun; Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo; and Employment and Labor Minister Lee Jae-gap.

In particular, the need to change his long-running chief of staff Noh Young-min has been highlighted in the wake of Cheong Wa Dae's handling of the conflict between Choo and the top prosecutor. Moon retained Noh despite his offer to resign in August over a controversy regarding his ownership of multiple properties, which was seen as contradicting the Moon administration's policy priority to contain speculative buying.

But given he has served almost two years as the chief of staff, it is widely believed that Moon will finally decide to replace him sometime next month. Several names are being mentioned in the media as potential replacements but the presidential office has remained silent on personnel matters, saying the decision is entirely up to the President.

Kim Sang-jo, the presidential chief of staff for policy, may be also replaced due to the worsening public sentiment over the housing and economic missteps of the Moon administration.

According to latest reports, Moon met with ruling Democratic Party of Korea Chairman Lee Nak-yon, Saturday, to discuss a range of national affairs, and it is said a reshuffle was one of the key topics.

The presidential office is also planning a press conference next month to give the public an opportunity to hear from the President regarding his plans to handle their main concerns, such as the delay in vaccinations against COVID-19.