No more revolving-door appointments, please

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No more revolving-door appointments, please

Published: 21 Nov. 2024, 19:04 Updated: 25 Nov. 2024, 17:07

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

President Yoon Suk Yeol has returned from his trip to Latin America. But he must tackle tough challenges at home. It must start with a colossal reshuffle of the Cabinet and his aides in the presidential office. In the Nov. 7 press conference, Yoon said that the presidential office had been looking into a pool of talents to demonstrate his determination to change his governance style.

Now is the time for the president to show the results of the deliberation. The presidential office reportedly plans to reshuffle the Cabinet by the end of the year or early next year, but it doesn’t have to wait until then. The public’s thirst for a new lineup of ministers has reached its limits.

A few candidates are being mentioned to replace current ministers — for instance, a multi-term lawmaker of the People Power Party (PPP), who come from the Honam region. But we wonder if such a replacement mostly based on regional balance could weather a storm over the government. The president must stop such revolving-door appointments now.

Of course, the president needs to take regional balance into account. But the top priority should be placed on an ability to deal with looming challenges from Trump 2.0. The majority Democratic Party (DP) must not forget that it can invite backlash if it blindly opposes Yoon’s appointments. We also hope the president replaces almost all ministers to show his resolution to change. Just look at Donald Trump’s pick of Tesla CEO Elon Musk as head of a department aimed at raising efficiency across the government.

President Yoon must radically change his aides, too. In a farcical turn, his chief of staff nonchalantly brushed off all the allegations about the first lady’s meddling in state affairs, including the nomination before a by-election. Yoon’s senior aide for political affairs even criticized a reporter for asking “an impolite question” to the president in the press conference two weeks ago. Given the confusing explanations about the first couple’s alleged intervention in the by-election, the president’s public communication officers cannot be exceptions. If left unattended, they will only help the presidential office be isolated from the rest of the world. Presidential aides close to the first lady must be removed first.

There are rumors that many people are reluctant to join the government due to the president’s low approval ratings and the grilling questions expected from lawmakers during confirmation hearings. If so, the president must beg talents to join his government if they are truly qualified. The public is watching closely if the president really has the will to change. The success of his administration depends on the upcoming reshuffle.