(EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Jan. 5)

Cabinet reshuffle

When President Lee Myung-bak addressed the nation last Friday, he made no direct
mention of a change to his Cabinet or Blue House staff. His New Year address
focused on an early recovery from the economic crisis. The economy is predicted
to fall into a recession during the first half of this year.
A hint, though very vague, of a Cabinet reshuffle and a reorganization of the
presidential staff came when he said:
"The Lee Myung-bak administration will be placed on an emergency footing for the
economy and, in accordance, refurbish the administration of state affairs."
Despite his lack of firm commitment, it appears inevitable that Lee will
discharge, later this month or early next month, underperforming Cabinet members
and those who have lost public confidence. Otherwise, he may not garner
sufficient public support for his emergency programs.
The presidential office has reportedly been evaluating the performance of each
ministry for a Cabinet revamp. Apparently as a prelude to the impending action,
the Lee administration has taken letters of resignation tendered by a sizable
number of assistant minister-level officials.
The rationale for a change of Cabinet members is simple: Lee feels mounting
pressure from the public to replace discredited ones, in particular those on his
economic team, with new faces. With his first-year scorecard far from
satisfactory, he will have to make a fresh start in the second year of his
five-year presidency.
According to a recent opinion poll conducted by a domestic newspaper company, 54
percent of respondents demanded a Cabinet reshuffle in January or February.
Another 14 percent called for one later in the year.
Lee squandered much of his political capital when he was accused of paying little
attention to proven competence when he named his inaugural Cabinet. He was
denounced for manning it with persons of wealth and those with close connections
to him, as well as those who had proven loyal to him.
He encountered his first leadership crisis several months after his inauguration
in February - massive candlelight protests against beef imports from the United
States. Then came the debacle in the U.S. mortgage market, which developed into a
global financial crisis.
Few would say Lee exercised strong leadership in his first year in office.
Instead, he had to abandon his key campaign promises - the construction of a
cross-country canal network and boosting growth to an annual rate of 7 percent -
either in the face of the candlelight protests or as a consequence of the
economic crisis. No wonder his administration ran adrift and his popularity
nosedived.
A change of personnel is seen as the first step toward a way out of this
predicament. But Lee will have to learn from his mistakes and put proven
credentials, not loyalty, before anything else in selecting Cabinet members. He
will have to offer Cabinet posts even to those who served in previous
administrations if it is deemed necessary for an early turnaround from the
economic crisis.
Loyalty may serve as the main qualification in the selection of Blue House
staffers, which Lee will most likely conduct along with a Cabinet reshuffle.
Lee will have to speed up the process of selection if he wishes to make a fresh
start on the first anniversary of his presidency, Feb. 25. He will do well to
finish the job early in the month, given the cumbersome confirmation process.
When a new Cabinet is established, the Lee administration will have to "refurbish
the administration of state affairs" by reaching out to opponents for
reconciliation and providing the underprivileged with greater help for social
integration. That should help the nation overcome the economic crisis.
(END)