Park Hang-seo fever

By Park Moo-jong

Park Hang-seo fever is sweeping not only Vietnam but also South Korea following the former's victory in the biennial AFF (Asian Football federation) championship for the Suzuki Cup under his guidance Saturday.

The amazing success of Vietnam is apparently turning the 59-year-old football player-turned-coach of its national team into a "diplomat," particularly in the political and diplomatic world, with regard to his leadership.

Expressing his gratitude for the backing of the Vietnamese people, he asked them, "I hope you will love my home country, the Republic of Korea, as much as you love me." He did what hundreds of career diplomats could not do.

I have not the slightest idea of diminishing the role of our diplomats, many of whom are supposed to be working to enhance national prestige in foreign lands far from home. But I am sorry about what has taken place in the diplomatic world over the past few years.

Under the guidance of Minister Kang Kyung-wha, the first woman with the portfolio, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not appear to have achieved anything to boast of this year.

There has been discord between Seoul and Washington over the international sanctions against North Korea that is still slighting the call of the free world for its denuclearization. The Seoul-Beijing relationship is showing no progress while Tokyo-Beijing ties have become closer.

How about the relationship between Seoul and Tokyo? It has been in the worst-ever situation since the normalization of diplomatic ties in 1965 due to the feud over the Supreme Court's rulings in favor of forced Korean labor victims during its 1910-45 occupation of the country.

It is well known that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs backs the presidential office in doing its diplomatic job, especially regarding relations with the four powers ― the U.S., China, Russia and Japan.

The annual meeting of the chiefs of overseas diplomatic missions was held last week and the ambassadors to the U.S., China, Russia, Japan and the United Nations used to have a conference to talk about their achievements and pending diplomatic issues.

But Ambassador to China Noh Young-min and Ambassador to the U.N. Cho Tae-yul did not participate in the meeting "for personal reasons." Ambassador to the U.S. Cho Yoon-je and Ambassador to Japan Lee Soo-hoon, who reportedly joined the meeting reluctantly, repeated what the government has been saying so far.

The ambassador the U.S. said that Seoul and Washington were working well together, though they have maintained their different views, depending on the issue. Amb. Lee only said, "There are many problems between South Korea and Japan. But the two should strengthen exchanges and cooperation."

As is well known, the ambassadors to the four powers are all non-diplomatic figures, "appointed by orders from above." What a coincidence! The relations with the four countries, which are the "basis of our diplomacy" as President Moon Jae-in said upon appointing them last year, have shown no progress, so far, under their guidance.

There is a common agreement in diplomacy: Ambassadors have to speak the languages of the countries they are sent to, or at least have proficiency in English. How about our envoys to the four powers?

In particular, Amb. Noh, a leading politician close to Moon, stirred up controversy because he enjoyed a vacation here in June while North Korea's Kim Jong-un was visiting China.

Ambassador to Russia Woo Yoon-keun, also a close politician to Moon as a candidate for chief presidential secretary, who had talked of the high possibility of Kim's visit to Russia in November, said in the conference that would be difficult for Kim to visit Moscow this year.

He hurriedly left for Moscow Monday after cancelling a lecture he was to give that day in his hometown of Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, following allegations that he took bribes from a businessman. He was pictured at the airport, wearing a hat pulled deep over his head.

Of course, there must be many career diplomats who are performing their duties faithfully for the interests of their country through better relations with the countries in which they are stationed.

But they need to take a lesson from why the Park Hang-seo fever (not syndrome as almost all the local media outlets express) is sweeping in Vietnam and here, too. The Vietnamese national football team's triumph plays the decisive role. Yet, we have to notice what led to its long-awaited success.

What impressed the Vietnamese people was his leadership, dubbed "papa leadership." He was friendly to his students. He gave his business class seat to an injured player in economy class. He massaged the feet of the players himself. He communicated and sympathized with the players like their fathers. The scene of the players' sudden action of kissing him and pouring water on his head during the awarding ceremony testify to his relationship with them.

He donated the surprise prize of $100,000 a Vietnam enterprise gave him to the Vietnamese Football Association for the development of football. He did his best. He fulfilled his duty. He did more than any diplomat did. He showed how to enhance the national prestige abroad. The government should honor him with the Order of Diplomatic Service.

Park Moo-jong (emjei29@gmail.com) is a standing adviser of The Korea Times. He served as the president-publisher of the nation's first English daily newspaper from 2004 to 2014 after working as a reporter since 1974.