[Column] Three-Month Short-Lived Ministers... Is the Cabinet Seat a Joke?

"What kind of ‘badge gateway’ is the Minister of Industry and Energy? If they cared about our core industries like semiconductors and batteries, they wouldn't treat them so coldly." This is a complaint from a business community insider after President Yoon Seok-yeol replaced the Minister of Industry and Energy just three months after his appointment. The criticism is that it is excessive to draft even a newly appointed minister for the ruling party's general election victory.

The Minister of Industry and Energy stands at the pinnacle of various industrial policies responsible for our country's livelihood. Minister Moon Sung-kyu said right after his appointment in August, "As the global economy rapidly changes, uncertainties in our economic investment environment, trade, energy, and resource policies are increasing. The responsibility is great." The head who should quell uncertainty has instead become a risk factor that increases industrial uncertainty.

Looking at the challenges facing the industrial sector, it cannot be said that there is leisure enough to replace the head within three months. It is a situation where a complex ‘higher-order equation’ must be solved. As global protectionism gains ground, our export-dependent country is increasingly threatened in its position. The United States has enacted the CHIPS Act and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and France has introduced electric vehicle subsidy policies. Kia is unable to receive subsidies here, requiring government-level responses. Japan is also preparing a Japanese version of the IRA. China is strengthening export controls on key minerals such as urea, rare earths, and graphite, increasing supply chain risks. Everyone is locking their gates and protecting their domestic industries. For us, who take free trade as a foundation for growth, all of this is a complicated challenge.

Frequent leadership changes also raise concerns about organizational stability within the ministry. There are already grumblings inside the Ministry of Industry and Energy about yet another ministerial change. The Blue House is aware of these concerns. A senior official called it a "sore spot." While saying, "From a national perspective, it is not something to call damage," they recognize the heavy burden caused by the replacement. Protectionist barriers and supply chain instability are intensifying worldwide. The government and ruling party's behavior of increasing policy risks just to gain a single seat in the general election must no longer be tolerated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.