Lee Jay-yong, the de facto leader of Samsung Group, offered a public apology last month for Samsung Medical Center’s mishandling of the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome. 

The Korean public is usually cynical about public apologies made by tycoons and politicians, because in many cases, they make a deep bow before cameras only to appease the public and slip back into business as usual after some time passes. 

But Lee’s apology ― made at his first-ever news conference ― was relatively well received. A Gallup Korea poll found that 63 percent of Koreans took it positively. It came at a time when President Park Geun-hye’s approval rating was heading to an all-time low of 29 percent and the contagious disease was just reaching its peak.

So it was not surprising that Lee’s apology further encouraged editorial writers and commentators to rebuke Park for not offering her own public apology for the poor government responses in the initial stage of the MERS outbreak.

Then it occurred to me that it would be interesting to compare the two figures ― the nation’s first female chief who is now on the crest of her political career and a man who, although not yet officially anointed, is effectively running the nation’s biggest conglomerate.

Things in common

Park and Lee inherited both assets and liabilities from their fathers. This must have influenced not only their personal life but also the way they engage in politics and business.

Park’s greatest asset ― as a politician ― is the support she gets from those who have fond memories of her parents ― the late President Park Chung-hee and popular former first lady Yuk Young-soo.

These fans of the Park family mostly consist of seniors, conservatives and residents of the southeastern region. They were the driving forces that helped the junior Park win many elections in which she ran or supported, thus earning her the nickname “Queen of Elections.”

The legacy of her father, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 18 years ― from 1961 when he seized power in a coup that he retained until his death in 1979 ― leaves her some liabilities as well. The biggest liability comes from the fact that the senior Park, despite his achievements in the nation’s economic development, was often accused of suppressing democracy and human rights.

Samsung’s Lee also owes a lot of what he is to his family. With his father incapacitated for more than a year after a heart attack, he has virtually taken over the corporate empire, which was founded by his grandfather 77 years ago and now churns out top-class products and employs more than 500,000 people around the world.

Lee, too, has liabilities from the legacy of Samsung and his family ― the negative public sentiment toward the second round of dynastic succession, expansive domination of major industries, efficiency- and profit-first policies and elitist corporate management and culture.

Differences

Between Park and Lee, there certainly are more differences than their 16-year age gap ― Park is 63 and Lee is 47.

Although they grew up as a princess and prince, they lived different lives: Park encountered several crises, while, as far as I know, Lee did not go through such serious personal tribulations. For Lee, perhaps his father’s unexpected illness, his own divorce and the controversy over his son’s enrollment at an elite middle school could be mentioned as his own adversities.

In contrast, Park lost both her parents to bullets. The death of her mother at the hands of a pro-North Korea Korean-Japanese gunman pushed her to take up the role of the first lady at the age of 22. Five years later, her father was killed by his own intelligence chief, throwing not only her and her family, but also the entire nation into a deep crisis.

In 2006, Park herself faced a life-threatening attack by a knife-wielding man during an election campaign. After surviving the attack which left a deep cut in her face, a calm Park asked how the campaign was going on. This reminded many of reports that she worried about the North Korean military’s activity when she learned of her father’s death. These episodes helped foster her public image as an “iron lady.”

Park’s inner strengths, however, are not always helpful and some of her weaknesses are traced to her background and tumultuous past: She remains insular, less communicative than her predecessors, self-righteous and often resorts to hardball politics, rather than seeking compromise and persuasion. Her reluctance to take responsibility ― while blaming officials for crises like the Sewol ferry disaster and the MERS outbreak ― and the recent vicious attacks on the ruling party floor leader point to her governing style.

Unlike Park, little is known about Lee’s leadership. But what differentiates him from Park is that he has been carefully groomed by the Lee family as the successor to the Samsung throne since he joined the group at the age of 23. Like other scions of chaebol, or family-controlled conglomerates, he was educated at top colleges in Korea, the U.S. and Japan.

What the general public hears is that he is soft-spoken and warm-hearted, not so picky about things like fashion and protocol. Besides, with only a coronation remaining for him, there is no talk of a family feud, unlike with his father’s generation and other chaebol, like Doosan and Kumho Asiana.

What we don’t know yet ― but will soon know ― is what kind of vision Lee has and what kind of leadership he will show in leading the corporate empire that will celebrate its centennial in 23 years.

Like Park, whose five-year single term ends in two years and eight months, the coming years for Lee will be crucial for both him and the empire his grandfather created and his father built up as it is.

What I hope is that the coming years will help Park be placed in history as more than the first female president and Lee will turn out more than a man who inherited vast wealth. It is hard to find real heroes in modern times, but don’t Koreans deserve at least a few politicians and tycoons who are respected not for their birthright or power and wealth, but for their achievements and deeds?

Chon Shi-yong is the chief editorial writer of The Korea Herald. He can be reached at sychon@heraldcorp.com. ―Ed.