[Opinion] Policies Become Clear When Viewed Through the Lens of Money

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Capitalist societies revolve around money. Neither countries nor individuals can accomplish what they need to without money. Ultimately, unless one is a saint, everyone ends up chasing money. Yet, perhaps due to the influence of Confucian social traditions, our society tends to treat money lightly or considers prioritizing it taboo.

While it is possible to live valuing spiritual worth or focusing on service and social contribution, we can say that ultimately, everyone works to earn money. Even religious organizations collect money to carry out necessary projects. The migrations to Germany and the Middle East in the 1960s and 70s were all driven by the pursuit of money.

In the Joseon Dynasty, slaves made up 40% of the population, so yangban (noble class) could obtain necessary goods without labor. However, in a capitalist society, everyone must work to earn money. The constitution also defines labor as a duty.

The concentration of people in professions such as judges and prosecutors (law schools), doctors (medical schools), and finance (business schools) is due to the relative expectation of earning more money. The preference for public servants is because of job stability and advantages for raising families. In the 1960s, when industry was underdeveloped, textile engineering at colleges of engineering was considered the top field. If industrial and talent development policies focus on earning money, new solutions may emerge. Everyone naturally gravitates toward places where they can earn more money and face fewer personal risks.

To attract top talent to AI, vital medical fields such as surgery, emergency medicine, pediatrics, and regional doctors, it is necessary not just to increase numbers but to change systems and environments so they can earn more money and reduce personal risks compared to other fields. This requires reviewing government procurement environments, innovating value assessment methods, adjusting medical fees, reforming stock market systems, and alleviating legal risks. Society must properly compensate expertise and effort.

If a doctor capable of emergency surgery is unavailable in a region and patients are sent to other hospitals but legal responsibility is imposed, who would take on that work? Imposing laws like the Serious Accident Punishment Act on managers only increases management risks without effectively reducing accidents. Moreover, for small and medium enterprises operating in harsh industrial environments, it amounts to pushing managers into criminal liability. Those who do difficult and risky work need not only economic support but also relief from personal risks.

Despite the advent of the AI era and emphasis on digital transformation, judges, prosecutors, and doctors remain the most preferred professions because talent development policies, talent utilization policies, and industrial policies have not kept pace with changing times. The presence of Korean professors in the U.S., successful Koreans in Silicon Valley, and increasing overseas investments by industries are natural from a global perspective. However, it is worth reflecting on whether the domestic environment is failing to keep up with these changes.

In any era, national policy should ensure that the best talent is deployed in fields leading that era. If this situation continues, Korea will face continuous outflows of talent and industries.

Kim Hong-jin, CEO of Work Innovation Lab

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