Experts warn the approach requires consistency, caution to avoid backfiring
Debate persisted as President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday became the first South Korean leader to livestream the annual policy briefings from ministries and other state bodies.
These annual briefings — used to outline policy blueprints and set priorities for the year ahead — have traditionally been conducted behind closed doors.
Lee has described the live broadcasting of the sessions as a “big moment in the contemporary history of South Korea," in line with his administration's emphasis on transparency and his "philosophy of governance."
The presidential office has also begun livestreaming parts of Cabinet meetings dealing with items related to citizens’ daily lives, and question-and-answer sessions during presidential briefings.
Lee’s push for transparency appears to have contributed to his relatively strong public support. Although his approval rating slipped to 56 percent — the lowest level in two months — respondents cited his active public communication, alongside diplomacy and economic management, as key reasons for approval of his performance.
While experts agree that opening up the decision-making process does increase transparency, it limits the ability to hold more private discussions without arousing distrust.
Lee Jun-han, professor of political science at Incheon National University, said such moves to boost transparency "should not be a selective, one-time event."
"If some selected debates are disclosed and if some are not, it would end up prompting the perception that there is a hidden purpose," said Lee of Incheon National University.
Another expert was critical of the presidential office's decision to open up the debates, citing the potential for misunderstandings among the public.
"There is a huge potential for (televised debates) to (suggest) that a policymaking process could be easily handled based on a talented individual's abilities, star power or personal traits," said Yoon Kwang-il, professor of political science at Sookmyung Women's University.
But this could mislead the public into thinking that someone exceptionally talented is fixing problems caused by incompetent people.
"It is not an institutional solution" to problems in state affairs that often carry extremely complex implications, Yoon said.
Yoon added that the president's comments on state affairs during the televised debates could make it appear that the president claims more knowledge than others in every decision-making process, which "is impossible."
Back-to-back reprimands
Live broadcasts of such sessions have shown high-level officials being berated by the president, prompting criticism from the opposition bloc.
During Thursday's session, President Lee honed in on Korea Customs Service Commissioner Lee Myeong-ku. The president harshly criticized the customs chief over the delays in implementing double screening of express mail coming to South Korea, saying narcotics have often been smuggled into the country in these types of parcels.
On Friday, Lee rebuked Incheon International Airport Corp. Chief Executive Officer Lee Hag-jae as they discussed loopholes in preventing people in South Korea from leaving the country with $10,000 or more without reporting it to the authorities.
As President Lee asked if the airport operator is capable of busting those smuggling cash hidden in books, the chief of the state-run company, who was formerly a three-term conservative lawmaker, said it was not in the airport operator's remit and that such cases could be handled through joint operations with customs authorities. The president, in reply, accused the IIAC chief of evading the point, saying, "Why do you keep digressing when I'm asking if it's possible or not?"
The president's remarks were met by sharp criticism from the main opposition People Power Party, which accused him of "turning briefings into a political stage for showing off power."
Lee's rebukes also targeted specific private-sector companies, as he attributed the consumer data leak of e-commerce giant Coupang to its leniency, calling on Thursday for stringent penalties against data breaches. Lee also blasted train manufacturer Dawonsys for delays in initiating train production orders due to the construction of its own headquarters.
Conservative lawmaker Rep. Na Kyung-won on Saturday described such actions in her Facebook post as "bullying (by a president) obsessed with 'playing president.'"
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