No more cronies in public office
: 'Seongnam Network' undermines Lee's leadership

Cronyism has raised red flags over President Lee Jae Myung's leadership. Lee has filled key government posts with people he knows personally, mostly lawyers and civil rights activists with whom he worked while mayor of Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. Those with personal ties to Lee are broadly referred to in the media as the "Seongnam Network," reflecting the bonds they forged in the city.

Cronyism is nothing new. Lee is hardly the first president to rely on personal connections when filling key government positions. His predecessors did much the same.

What is particularly troubling about the current administration, however, is that Lee appears to be taking the practice to an extreme, appointing people who are unqualified or, in some cases, simply incapable of handling the jobs entrusted to them. Ultimately, the president himself is paying the price. The poor judgment and incompetence of some of his appointees are damaging his standing and eroding his political support base.

Ha Dong-keun, president of the Korea District Heating Corp., offers a telling example of what can happen when the wrong person lands a plum government job. Ha came under fire during the National Assembly's annual audit on Oct. 29 for his apparent lack of familiarity with the state-run company he heads. Asked to provide the company's revenue and operating profit for last year, Ha gave figures of 6 trillion won ($4.4 billion) and 330 billion won, respectively. Both were wrong. The actual figures were around 4 trillion won in revenue and 530 billion won in operating profit.

It is difficult to believe that someone who has held the position for six months could be unaware of such basic information about the company he runs. Before his appointment, Ha was an environmental activist based in Seongnam. Critics allege that he secured the position largely because of his ties to Kim Hyun-ji, the first deputy chief of staff at the presidential office and a figure widely regarded as one of Lee's closest confidants.

Critics have also alleged that Lee has used appointments based on personal connections to secure political and legal favors amid the multiple legal cases he faces, all of which were suspended after he was elected president last year. One such allegation concerns his nomination of longtime friend Lee Yong-cheol, a former minister of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, as justice minister.

Critics claimed the appointment was intended to help bring about the termination of the president's prosecutions, an allegation the nominee denied. The two Lees worked at the same law firm before Lee Jae Myung was elected mayor of Seongnam. Lee Yong-cheol was part of the mayor-elect's transition team and later headed a foundation funded by the city.

The spoils system has long been regarded as an inevitable feature of democracy. Elected leaders naturally want to fill key positions with people they know and trust. This is understandable and, to some extent, necessary to advance their policy priorities.

Elected officials face pressure to deliver tangible results during their limited time in office and hope to leave a lasting legacy. Working with trusted allies can help them translate their priorities into action. In this sense, a degree of political patronage is inevitable for the system to function effectively.

But when taken too far, cronyism can backfire. In Lee's case, it has fueled growing friction with vocal critics, including some within his own camp. His relationship with the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, particularly its hard-line faction, has become increasingly strained.

Lee and party hard-liners have occasionally traded barbs. On Sunday, Lee warned against the dangers of a cult of personality. "Politicians and leaders need praise and support. But this shouldn't lead to a cult of personality," he wrote on social media. He did not identify whom he was referring to or explain what prompted the remarks. However, given his recent criticism of hard-liners within the ruling party, his comments appeared to target those rival members, including former Welfare Minister Rhyu Si-min, who has openly criticized Lee on YouTube channels run by progressive commentators.

The strained relationship between Lee and some members of his own party suggests that his political support base may be weakening. Coupled with declining approval ratings, this should serve as a warning sign for his presidency.

The course of action is clear. Lee must abandon his confrontational approach and seek to restore unity, not only within his own party but also across the political aisle. He should stop appointing unqualified loyalists to key government positions and instead form a more inclusive Cabinet that brings together allies and even political opponents capable of contributing to his policy agenda. A president cannot govern effectively by relying solely on personal loyalty.
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