Lee issues stern warning to public sector CEOs

SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday warned he will replace any chief executive officers of state-run corporations who fail to carry out his repeated instructions for sweeping and painful public sector restructuring.

"Despite the economic difficulties, the organizations of public enterprises
should be further revamped and streamlined. The bloated management structure of
public entities is fiercely condemned by the public," Lee said while meeting with
CEOs of 34 major state-run corporations over their major business plans for 2009.
"During today's meeting, you CEOs must make up your mind about restructuring your
organizations. Anyone who doesn't feel confident about the reform task must quit
the CEO post. If you think you can't face up to the role, you have to leave the
company immediately," said the president.
Lee's unusually stern warning came after his administration recently announced a
plan to shed 19,000 jobs in the public sector, with 69 major state-run
corporations slashing 10 percent to 37.5 percent from their current payrolls in
the coming three to four years.
Since his inauguration in February, Lee has striven to overhaul state-run
enterprises and other public entities accused of loose and inefficient management
and wasteful spending of taxpayers' money.
But his drive has noticeably lost its steam in the face of strong resistance from
unionized employees of the affected corporations and some civic activists.
Lee went on to urge the public sector CEOs to override pressure from
reform-resistant unions and decisively outsource the bulk of state-run companies'
operations to the private sector.
According to deputy presidential spokesperson Kim Eun-hye, the president stressed
throughout the meeting that all state-run corporations should now demonstrate
their resolve to reform themselves to regain public confidence.
"The public has yet to trust public institutions. They are most in need of reform
and thus must act in 2009 in a manner that restores their public confidence.
Without self-sacrifice, a public organization can hardly be changed," Lee was
quoted as saying.
"State-run companies should also refrain from passing financial burdens from
increased management cost to the people. Before forcing the people to pay higher
utility rates, they should make efforts to rationalize their management," said
the president.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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