What matters is not the image but trust

Kim Hyun-ki
The author is the Tokyo bureau chief and rotating correspondent of the JoongAng Ilbo.

Come to Vienna if you want to see “Kiss,” reads a big platform in Vienna International Airport in the capital of Austria. The iconic golden painting of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt hasn’t left the Belvedere Palace since it was unveiled around 1908. It is Australia’s unwavering premise that one must come to Vienna to see the real “Kiss,” unlike the Louvre Museum which had lent the Mona Lisa for shows in Washington, D.C., New York and Tokyo.

The home of Austrian maestro Herbert von Karajan — extolled as one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century and the most formidable musician from Salzburg after Mozart — cannot hold up the national flag because of his Nazi past. Austria can appear to be sclerotic in adhering to its principles, as it does not compromise on issues related to its foundation. Political neutrality and mediating power of the country stems from the trust in its commitment to principles and fairness.

Japan-born MBA superstar Shohei Ohtani signed a record-setting $700 million 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But he would receive 97 percent of the promised pay when the 10-year contract ends. Although a 3-percent sum, or $2.1 million each season, is great itself, the bigger surprise was that the idea of the deferment came from the Japanese baseball sensation himself — because winning was his top priority. Ohtani simply wishes to win as many World Series as possible by allowing the manager to use the rest of the money filling the roster with other formidable talents to win the championship.

No wonder he commands an enormous fandom around the world. He is a rare two-way player — an excellent pitcher as well as a marvelous hitter — and has won multiple MVP titles during his days at Anaheim in the American League. He is widely respected not just for his extraordinary performance but for the confidence he earns from the undying challenging spirit and devotion to the basics.

For a country or a person, image is important. It can be the selling point. Former People Power Party (PPP) leader Lee Jun-seok has an animated — and uniquely unconventional — image. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is no different. The public either loves or hates them. If Lee or Trump suddenly became docile and civil, the public wouldn’t like them. President Yoon Suk Yeol also won over the public with his strong image. During the last presidential election, people remembered how he had stood firm against the powers that be when he was a prosecutor general. He famously said, “I am not loyal to a person.” The votes came from his stubborn commitment to fairness that did not compromise with the unjust deeds of former Justice Minister Cho Kuk or money power.

But those voters are increasingly disappointed by his government’s performance. They no longer believe the president to be fair. He pushed for the relocation of the presidential office from the traditional Blue House to Yongsan — despite much controversy last year — to be more “communicative” with people. But the president has not held a press conference in more than a year. Although he criticized former president Moon Jae-in for using K-pop superstar BTS as a mascot for his overseas trips, Yoon lines up top business leaders for his state visits to foreign countries. The people don’t see any difference.

First lady Lim Keon-hee also needs to keep up her image. She vowed to keep her role as a humble wife of the president two years ago, but she caused an embarrassing scandal by receiving a Dior handbag from a pastor, allegedly in return for favoritism. The first lady has yet to explain herself. Even singer Lee Hyo-ri had to explain to the public why she had gone against her promise to not appear in commercials 11 years ago. Public figures must explain their deeds, even if they cannot be understood or forgiven.

Now for Justice Minister Han Dong-hoon. Before deciding to accept the PPP’s request that he take up a new role as head of its emergency committee, he said, “No roads in the world were roads in the beginning.” After the majority Democratic Party (DP) pushed for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the first lady’s alleged stock price manipulation, the justice minister said, “There cannot be an exception before the law. But the DP’s motion for a special investigation of the first lady will be an evil act [if it is passed in the legislature].” Han’s remarks apparently target both the criticism against the first lady and the president.

Mimicking his former boss in the prosecution — President Yoon — Han tersely added, “I have never blindly obeyed a person.”

Han’s political rhetoric was quite refined — nearly on par with veteran politicians. But Han is only making the first step. A slip of the tongue or a small mistake can deal a critical blow to his image as an icon of fairness. The roads ahead are filled with mines and thorns. We cannot know what will explode. One thing for sure is that people no longer are fooled by the image of the moment.