President Lee Warns Again Against Bureaucratization: "If the Commander Is Red, Make Everything Red from Head to Toe"

President Lee Jaemyung compared career civil servants to "Robot Taekwon V" and emphasized to Cabinet members that they must strive not to be swayed by the logic of the bureaucratic organization.

Yonhap News Agency

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During a Cabinet meeting held at the presidential office, President Lee said, "If the commander is the color red and the bureaucratic organization is gray, then we must try to turn everything from head to toe into red." He continued, "But in reality, the gray color pushes up from below, and one day the red has turned into gray."

President Lee further explained, "Because the surrounding civil servants are such experts and have their own logic, as you talk with them, it all seems to make sense. In the end, the public chooses red or blue, but later, you find that the gray has infiltrated and everything has turned a dull, muddy color." This means that by being absorbed by the logic of the bureaucracy, the original clarity of reform is lost.

He continued, "That's how it always is. It's hard once you enter that environment," and stressed, "You have to fight ideological battles, logical battles, and power struggles." He added, "We must keep studying and constantly explore what the people-the source of our power-really want so we can withstand the pressure from below and push it back down."

He also stated, "That requires tremendous energy and passion. As time goes by, it becomes difficult." He added, "I myself am making great efforts not to rely solely on your reports and not to be turned gray." When Prime Minister Kim Minseok joked, "You could make some money if you gave lectures on the theory of democracy regarding elected officials and bureaucracy," President Lee laughed and replied, "At this rate, there’s a high chance I’ll be kicked out," and they laughed together.

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