[The Editors' Verdict] The Public Mind: An Era of Loss

Those Who Destroyed a Lifetime of Achievements in the Swamp of Private Desire
A Fundamental Issue Beyond Progressive or Conservative Lines
When the Weight of Power Is Ignored, Only the Lives of Citizens Suffer

"Elections are often referred to as a family business, as the saying goes."

This happened on October 25, 2021. At the time, Yoon Suk-yeol, then a presidential primary candidate for the People Power Party, compared elections to a family business. He made this remark in the press area while responding to questions about allegations surrounding his wife. The controversial statement came as he attempted to explain those suspicions.

Is it really appropriate to compare elections, often called the flower of democracy, to a family business that reeks of commercial interests? It raises questions about how he viewed politics, elections, and public office in general. Although this comment was made four years ago, it still leaves an unpleasant aftertaste. The term "family business" he used at the time has now become a snare tightening around his life as he sits in Seoul Detention Center.

The reason for revisiting this incident is to examine the current state of the "public mind." Public officials must understand the weight of power. Only then can they restrain their desires for personal gain. The authority entrusted by the people is not a tool for indulging personal desires. It is an instrument that must be used with restraint for the public good. When those lacking a public mind occupy positions beyond their merit, problems inevitably arise. If they fail to distinguish between public and private interests, it is the people who suffer.

Were the high-ranking officials who make up the upper echelons of Korean society truly equipped with a public mind worthy of the public's trust? The 12·3 Martial Law vividly exposed a shameful side of those who claimed to be the nation's elite. Many have destroyed their lifelong achievements by succumbing to personal desires. The essential concern is that this cannot be seen as a problem exclusive to either progressives or conservatives, or any particular group.

In this context, the recent allegations surrounding Oh Gwangsu, who served as the first Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs in the Lee Jaemyung administration, are worth reconsidering. Oh, a member of the 18th class of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, was a classmate of President Lee Jaemyung. He is a former prosecutor who served as chief prosecutor at the Daegu District Prosecutors' Office and is known for his expertise in special investigations.

Controversy had surrounded the selection of the first Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs from the beginning. The main question was whether he was the right person to carry out prosecutorial reform. Despite these controversies, his appointment reflected the president's trust in him as the appointing authority.

"Senior Secretary Oh Gwangsu, a former prosecutor, is widely respected both inside and outside the prosecution for his outstanding drive and character," said Kang Hoonshik, Chief Presidential Secretary, on June 8, explaining the background of Oh's appointment. He described Oh as someone who deeply understands the philosophy of prosecutorial reform. Oh should have remained a presidential aide who faithfully carried out the administration's philosophy more than anyone else. However, as suspicions of real estate held under borrowed names spread, he stepped down just five days after his appointment.

Oh Gwangsu's name recently resurfaced as a news keyword because it became known that he joined the legal defense team of Han Hakja, leader of the Unification Church, who is under investigation by Special Prosecutor Min Junggi. As the special prosecutor's wide-ranging investigation continues, it is an open secret around Seocho-dong that powerful and wealthy figures are seeking out legal professionals with ties to the Lee Jaemyung administration.

What do you think Oh's value would have been, carrying the title of Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs? Is it unrelated to expectations of preferential treatment for former officials that the Unification Church invited him to join their defense team? Oh, who was criticized for inappropriate conduct, ultimately resigned from his role as Han's legal counsel. The outcome was inevitable from the start.

This episode adds yet another real-world example to the political axiom that entrusting positions beyond their merit to those lacking a public mind inevitably leads to trouble.

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