Time to stop self-destructive power struggle
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration has faced the worst crisis since its May 10 inauguration due mainly to the new president's appointment of unqualified figures to Cabinet ministers and mishandling of state affairs. At the same time, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) sank deeper into turmoil in the wake of an escalating power struggle between the pro-Yoon members and those supporting suspended party Chairman Lee Jun-seok.
It is unprecedented for the ruling camp to get in trouble after less than 100 days in power, despite its win in the March 9 presidential poll and the June 1 local elections. The most serious problem is certainly that the ruling elite is going all out to protect its vested interests without meeting the people's aspirations for a change for the better. Disappointingly, those in power still remain intoxicated with the election victory and fight each other to take the spoils.
Against this backdrop, Yoon's approval rating plunged to the 20 percent level early this month, which is unusually low for any president after no more than three months in office. The slide reflected his inability to exercise his leadership to steer the nation in the right direction and improve the people's livelihood amid runaway inflation and rising interest rates. It is hard for him to prop up the rating without keeping his inaugural promise to promote national unity and "cooperative" politics.
But what he has done so far seems to be exactly the opposite. He has failed to listen carefully to what the people say. He appointed his confidants to ministerial posts based on nepotism. He contradicted himself by disregarding his focus on the competence and integrity of Cabinet minister nominees. Besides, the prosecutor general-turned-president has come under fire for appointing former prosecutors to key posts.
The Yoon administration's decision-making and policymaking process is also problematic. Education Minister Park Soon-ae offered to resign over her ill-conceived policy of lowering the elementary school entry age by one year to five. Her ministry had to retract the policy, which was pursued without enough preparation, in the face of a strong backlash from parents and teachers.
Another case is the creation of a police supervisory bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The bureau was set up without reflecting the opinions of police officers and the public. Thus, the ministry has taken flak for trying to control the National Police Agency directly. In addition, the Yoon government cannot avoid criticism for its failure to prevent disasters caused by flash floods that devastated Seoul and the central part of the country last week.
The governing PPP is no different. The party has been in disarray due to the deepening factional strife. The PPP's suspended chairman renewed his attack on Yoon and his core associates for what he claimed is an attempt to remove him from his position. The attack came 36 days after his party membership was suspended for six months by the PPP's ethics committee over allegations of receiving sex in return for favors and attempts to cover up the alleged wrongdoing. The PPP should stop the self-destructive power struggle. Yoon and his party need to start all over again to win the hearts and minds of the people. The first step is to regain public trust by making sincere efforts to better serve the people and the nation.
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration has faced the worst crisis since its May 10 inauguration due mainly to the new president's appointment of unqualified figures to Cabinet ministers and mishandling of state affairs. At the same time, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) sank deeper into turmoil in the wake of an escalating power struggle between the pro-Yoon members and those supporting suspended party Chairman Lee Jun-seok.
It is unprecedented for the ruling camp to get in trouble after less than 100 days in power, despite its win in the March 9 presidential poll and the June 1 local elections. The most serious problem is certainly that the ruling elite is going all out to protect its vested interests without meeting the people's aspirations for a change for the better. Disappointingly, those in power still remain intoxicated with the election victory and fight each other to take the spoils.
Against this backdrop, Yoon's approval rating plunged to the 20 percent level early this month, which is unusually low for any president after no more than three months in office. The slide reflected his inability to exercise his leadership to steer the nation in the right direction and improve the people's livelihood amid runaway inflation and rising interest rates. It is hard for him to prop up the rating without keeping his inaugural promise to promote national unity and "cooperative" politics.
But what he has done so far seems to be exactly the opposite. He has failed to listen carefully to what the people say. He appointed his confidants to ministerial posts based on nepotism. He contradicted himself by disregarding his focus on the competence and integrity of Cabinet minister nominees. Besides, the prosecutor general-turned-president has come under fire for appointing former prosecutors to key posts.
The Yoon administration's decision-making and policymaking process is also problematic. Education Minister Park Soon-ae offered to resign over her ill-conceived policy of lowering the elementary school entry age by one year to five. Her ministry had to retract the policy, which was pursued without enough preparation, in the face of a strong backlash from parents and teachers.
Another case is the creation of a police supervisory bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. The bureau was set up without reflecting the opinions of police officers and the public. Thus, the ministry has taken flak for trying to control the National Police Agency directly. In addition, the Yoon government cannot avoid criticism for its failure to prevent disasters caused by flash floods that devastated Seoul and the central part of the country last week.
The governing PPP is no different. The party has been in disarray due to the deepening factional strife. The PPP's suspended chairman renewed his attack on Yoon and his core associates for what he claimed is an attempt to remove him from his position. The attack came 36 days after his party membership was suspended for six months by the PPP's ethics committee over allegations of receiving sex in return for favors and attempts to cover up the alleged wrongdoing. The PPP should stop the self-destructive power struggle. Yoon and his party need to start all over again to win the hearts and minds of the people. The first step is to regain public trust by making sincere efforts to better serve the people and the nation.
