Latest news with #MoonJae-in
Memri
3 days ago
- Politics
- Memri
S. Korea's Crucial June 3 Election And Its Implications For The United States: S. Korea May Become China's Satellite State
In 2009, South Korean novelist Bok Geo-il wrote one of the earliest perceptive books on the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) subversive influence within the Republic of Korea (ROK). This book was expanded and re-published in an English edition, with the title Under The Shadow Of China – Possible Finlandization Of The Korean Peninsula, in early 2017. In May of that year, due to the results of a snap election dictated by the impeachment of then conservative President Park Geun-hye, the leftist Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate Moon Jae-in, an appeaser of N. Korea and China, was elected president. As Bok pointed out, China's influence on ROK policies had been going on for years, since the 1992 normalization of diplomatic ties between the two countries.[1] However, it was with the advent of the China-friendly administration of Moon Jae-in that China's influence on the ROK reached unprecedented levels. What transpired during the left-leaning administration of President Moon is important in understanding the pro-China policy preferences of the current DPK presidential candidate, Lee Jae-myung, who hopes to win the June 3 snap election in Korea, which is the result of the impeachment and removal from office of former pro-U.S. conservative President Yoon Seok-yeol.[2] Under the Shadow of China – Possible Finlandization of the Korean Peninsula, by Bok Geo-il South China Morning Post: "China Wins Its War Against South Korea's U.S. THAAD Missile Shield — Without Firing A Shot" With the Moon administration came a veritable flood of China-friendly, and in some cases downright pro-China policies and proposals. Perhaps the most important of these various policies centered about the dispute between China and the ROK over the deployment in the ROK of a battery of the U.S. THAAD (terminal high-altitude area defense) anti-missile system, meant to deter and defend against the ever-increasing missile threat posed by N. Korea. The decision to deploy THAAD was announced in 2016 by the previous administration of conservative President Park and the system was in place by early May of 2017, days prior to Moon's election. It had been strongly opposed by Park's political opponents Moon Jae-in, Lee Jae-myung, and others of the leftist DPK, who issued statements and participated in rallies opposing THAAD. As part of the pressure campaign against the deployment, which China perceived would force concessions from the Moon administration, certain Korean businesses in China were subjected to shut down, Korean cultural content in China was drastically restricted, Chinese group tours to the ROK nearly disappeared, and other de jure and de facto forms of retaliation were brought to bear. In late 2017, the Moon administration announced its infamous "Three No's" policy that was well-received in China. Moon declared that there would be no deployment of additional THAAD batteries in the ROK, that the ROK would not participate in any regional anti-missile defense system, and that the ROK would not enter into any trilateral defense alliance with both the U.S. and Japan. While Moon's fans in the ROK and the U.S. attempted to portray this decision as some kind of useful compromise, with China, many conservative South Korean observers widely regarded the "Three No's" policy as a national humiliation. After Moon's concessions to China, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post featured the November 2017 headline "China Wins Its War Against South Korea's U.S. THAAD Missile Shield — Without Firing A shot." (Source: South China Morning Post, November 18, 2017) Moon Jae-in: China Is A "High Mountain Peak" The appeasement regarding THAAD was not the only humiliation which Moon, who served as president from May 2017 to May 2022, caused the ROK to suffer with regard to China. A slew of further national indignities occurred, when Moon visited China for a summit with the Chinese leader Xi Jinping in December 2017. He likened China to a "high mountain peak," in contradistinction to the ROK, which he defined as a "small nation."[3] Moon added that he deeply agreed with "many parts of governing philosophy put forward by president Xi Jinping in the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China." He then stated that that "the Chinese Dream" was not only the dream of China but also the dream of Asia and even the world.[4] Moon further said that China and the ROK were "destined as one community," and even went so far as to praise what he absurdly termed the "democratic leadership" of Xi.[5] Overlooking the several Chinese invasions of Korea throughout history, including China's attack on the ROK (to save North Korea) in 1950, Moon said "the Chinese and Koreans are comrades who suffered and overcame the hardships of modern history together."[6] Yet, in spite of several invitations by Moon, Xi never deigned to visit the ROK during Moon's presidency. Nevertheless, when COVID emerged and spread to the ROK, Moon bent over backwards, even at the expense of his own nation's citizens, to cozy up to China. Moon refused the pleas of the Korean Medical Association to suspend flights from China to the ROK and in the face of a serious mask shortage in the ROK allowed masks to be exported to China.[7] "China's difficulties are our difficulties," Moon told Xi in February 2020.[8] As Korean academic Lee Seong-hyon put it, "The South Korean public went up in arms, with some claiming he seemed more like the president of China than South Korea."[9] In June of 2020, Moon's Ambassador to the U.S. Lee Soo-hyuck said: "I feel pride that we are now a country that can choose [between the U.S. and China], not be forced to choose."[10] President Moon Jae-in greets Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to the China-South Korean summit in Berlin that took place in July, 2017. (Source: Yonhap News) The Straits Times: "Pro-China Remarks Haunt S. Korea's Presidential Hopeful Lee Jae-myung" This brings us to the ROK's troubled present, and the current DPK presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung. Based on the statements of Lee Jae-myung, who stands a good chance of winning the June 3 presidential election, it would seem that he is following in the footsteps of Moon. Lee played a key role in the downfall of pro-U.S. conservative President Yoon Seok-yeol. It is worth noting that, in the first impeachment motion against President Yoon, the DPK's leadership, which includes Lee, revealed its worldview by including as one of the grounds for impeachment the accusation that Yoon was "antagonizing" North Korea, China, and Russia. The DPK apparently felt that opposition to China's policies was somehow a crime. The party only removed this language from its second motion after it was criticized within the ROK and by Korea experts and commentators in the U.S.[11] Furthermore, commenting on Lee's legislative election campaign speech of March 22, 2024, Korean media outlet Chosun Ilbo stated: "Lee Jae-myung, the leader of South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party, asked, 'Why keep pestering China?' With a gesture of clasping his hands together, he suggested that a simple 'xièxiè [thank you]' to China and also expressing gratitude to Taiwan should suffice. 'Why bother meddling everywhere?' [Lee] further questioned the relevance of the Taiwan Strait issue to South Korea, asking, 'Whatever happens in the Taiwan Strait, whatever happens with China and Taiwan's domestic issues, what does it matter to us?'"[12] The newspaper characterized Lee's remarks as "kowtowing" to China.[13] The Straits Times newspaper of Singapore described this controversy in an April 2025 dispatch from Seoul under the headline "Pro-China remarks haunt S. Korea's presidential hopeful Lee Jae-myung amid West Sea dispute."[14] (Source: Straits Times, April 26, 2025) On June 8, 2023, while visiting China's embassy in Seoul, Lee enraged conservatives, for backing Chinese ambassador Xing Haiming's criticism of Pro-U.S. conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol's foreign policy.[15] Lee also offered no objections or attempts at rebuttal as China's ambassador issued what were widely viewed as thinly veiled threats against the ROK. "In a situation where the U.S. is pressuring China with all its might, some are betting that the U.S. will win and China will lose. What I can say for sure is that those who bet now on China's defeat will surely regret it later," the Chinese ambassador said.[16] On June 8, 2023, Lee Jae-myung was pictured bowing deeply to Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming. The bow was apparently not reciprocated and was not standard diplomatic protocol for a party leader and legislator greeting a foreign ambassador. (Source: June 8, 2023) China Is Trying To Expand Its Influence In The West Sea And Create A Basis For Future Territorial Claims Concerns about China's aggressive moves, viewed as attempts at territorial expansion in the seas of the Western Pacific, are not limited to the South China Sea. Chinese military aircraft have in recent years been routinely entering the ROK's air defense identification zone, and Chinese military vessels have been regularly entering the ROK's maritime exclusive economic zone, necessitating the scrambling of ROK fighter jets and coast guard ships. China has also in recent years, and especially in recent months, been installing massive steel structures, fixed installations, in the ocean area where each nation's exclusive economic zones overlap in the West Sea (also known as that Yellow Sea) off the coast of the ROK. In an April 21, 2025 editorial, the ROK's Chosun Ilbo newspaper warned that "Beijing appears to be employing the same incremental tactics it used in the South China Sea to assert de facto control over contested maritime areas." As might be expected given their worldview and ideological tendencies, and in particular their troubling positions and statements regarding China, Lee and his DPK refused to join the conservative People Power Party in immediately condemning of these Chinese moves. Lee and his party remained silent even in the immediate aftermath of a tense standoff between Chinese and ROK coast guard vessels in late February of 2025, which resulted when China threatened and blocked an ROK oceanographic research ship from conducting a legitimate investigation in the area of the Chinese structures.[17] In light of the initial silence from Lee and his Party, a March 24, 2025 Chosun Ilbo editorial lamented: "It is hard to understand how a party that has shown an allergic reaction to discussing ways to protect us from North Korea's nuclear threat is [also] silent about China's West Sea threat."[18] "In January, China installed a large steel structure within the South Korea–China Provisional Measures Zone in the West Sea (also known as the Yellow Sea). The structure measures 70 meters in diameter and 71 meters in height. China claims the structure is a fish farm, but experts say its appearance closely resembles that of an oil drilling platform. Concerns that China may use these structures in the future to assert territorial claims in the West Sea are growing." (Source: Yonhap; March 24, 2025) CCP Espionage in S. Korea Mirroring what appears to be an upsurge in Chinese surveillance and espionage activities in the U.S. in recent years, the ROK has been experiencing a major increase in acts of surveillance and espionage by Chinese nationals. In the past few months alone, there have been several incidents of Chinese visitors to the ROK apprehended while taking photos and videos of U.S. and ROK air force and naval facilities, including U.S. fighter jets based in the ROK and U.S. warships docked in ROK ports. One pair of Chinese nationals was even caught engaging in such intelligence-gathering activities twice within a few days. "We believe they may be systematically recording the movements of South Korean and U.S. military aircraft to build a database," according to a military official.[19] It was disclosed in May that a Chinese intelligence agent was recently arrested for seeking to obtain military secrets from a Korean soldier. The spy was attempting to gather information on the THAAD system, U.S.-ROK military drills, contingency plans of U.S. forces in Korea, and other classified ROK military documents.[20] A 10-member Chinese spy ring was tasked with obtaining information on anti-China groups in the ROK.[21] A Chinese national was also caught using a drone to film the headquarters of the ROK's National Intelligence Service.[22] In November 2024, according to media reports, the ROK's Board of Audit and Inspection disclosed the results of an investigation, which alleged that some of the highest officials of the former Moon administration, including Moon's National Security Advisor, were sharing classified information regarding the U.S. THAAD system, and details of its deployment in the ROK, not only with pro-North Korean and other far-left radicals who were staging violent protests at the deployment site, but also with officials of China's embassy in Seoul.[23] As the Korea Herald reported on November 19, 2024, Moon's National Security Advisor and three other top-raking officials of his administration were "accused of informing activists opposed to South Korea's hosting of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system beforehand of plans by U.S. and South Korean forces to replace a THAAD battery missile," and were "also accused of giving an advance briefing to a defense attaché at the Chinese Embassy in Seoul on the details of the missile replacement operation."[24] Moon's National Security Advisor was formally indicted in April, and his trial commenced in May.[25] To date, the instances of illegal surveillance and espionage by Chinese nationals in the ROK cannot be prosecuted as acts of espionage. As the Chosun Ilbo notes, "most of the individuals involved have faced little to no punishment. Many are let off with warnings due to legal limitations."[26] This is due to the fact that under current ROK law, the specific crime of espionage is defined as an act which is conducted for the benefit of an "enemy state," and such an enemy state is interpreted to mean only North Korea. Therefore, such acts are not punishable as espionage if they were conducted on behalf of China or any other state (except North Korea). The solution to this dilemma would seem easy enough. The legislature would simply have to expand coverage of the law in question to include other nations. The conservative People Power Party has been attempting to do precisely that, by proposing that the term "enemy state" (i.e., exclusively North Korea) be changed to "foreign countries or equivalent organizations." Although a few individual members of the DPK had originally indicated support for this change, a matter of basic national security, the DPK (which has a strong majority in the legislature) reversed its stance, and has since been using every opportunity to delay a change in the law. One of the top leaders of the People Power Party asserts that the DPK is using delaying tactics because "candidate Lee Jae-myung and the Democratic Party of Korea are consistently bowing to China, which is why China views South Korea lightly."[27] The Chosun Ilbo assessed that "the [Democratic] party's hesitation may stem from its ties to China, given the longstanding connections between DPK figures and the Chinese Communist Party."[28] DPK Flag Displayed At 100th Anniversary CCP Founding The various ROK political parties (of all ideological stripes) and many of the politicians who belong to them have ties to China to varying degrees, and some government officials and legislators have therefore been reluctant to significantly (or at least publicly) condemn CCP influence in the ROK. In late 2022, the 100 founding members of the "Korea-China Parliamentary Federation" included politicians from both major ROK parties. However, the connections between the DPK (and its key leaders) and China have certainly been far friendlier in tone, far more substantial in scope, and even more political in nature than those of other parties. This was demonstrated several years ago, when the ROK's Yonhap News reported in July 2019 that the DPK's think tank, "The Institute for Democracy," signed an exchange and cooperation agreement with the "Central Party School" of the CCP. Yang Jeong-cheol, director of the Democratic Research Institute, shakes hands with Li Zhi, vice president of the Chinese Party School, after signing an exchange agreement in Beijing in 2029. (Source: The reported: 'Nine months before the April 2020 National Election in Korea, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) (or Deobureo Minjoo Dang in Korean, 더불어민주당) also signed an agreement with the CCP on July 10, 2019. Yang Jung-chul (양정철), then-Director of the Institute for Democracy, an arm of the DPK responsible for election strategy, visited Beijing in July 2019 and signed an agreement with the CCP Central Committee's Party School (Central Party School), which produces the party elites. Initially, it was established as Marx School of Communism under the CCP Central Committee in 1933. The CCP Central Party School superintendents include Xi Jinping, Hu Jintao, and Mao Zedong." (Source: November 5, 2023) As documented in 2025 by the ROK's Maeil Shinmun news website, when the CCP held an event in 2021 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding, the venue included a display of the flags of political parties from across world which were supportive of or friendly to their party, and tellingly, one of the flags featured was that of the DPK. At the CCP's 100th anniversary of its founding, the venue included a display of the flags of political parties. One of the flags featured was that of the DPK. (Source: The ROK Would Be Compelled To Adopt A Formally Neutral Yet Essentially Pro-China Foreign Policy The Korean author Bok Geo-il warned about the risk of a potential "Finlandization" of the ROK. That is a scenario under which China would not directly control the ROK, and the nation would not lose its de jure independence but would slowly yet inexorably be transformed into a de facto satellite state, with China exercising the type of suzerain role that it had over Korea in ancient history. The ROK would thereby be compelled to adopt a formally neutral yet essentially pro-China foreign policy, just as Finland was forced to do by the Soviet Union during the decades of the Cold War. There are pro-North Korea and other far-left groups and activists, in both the ROK and the U.S., who have been advocating precisely such a "neutralization" of the ROK. Since such a massive geopolitical shift would clearly necessitate the end of the U.S.-ROK alliance, a longstanding goal of China, North Korea, and their sympathizers in the ROK and the U.S., that scenario would not only prove to be a disaster for the people of the ROK and their sovereign rights, but also an extremely grave blow to the U.S. strategic position in the Asia-Pacific region and to American interests more broadly. To the extent that the DPK and its presidential candidate Lee would move the ROK incrementally closer to China, both Koreans and Americans will have reason for deep concern if he is elected on June 3. *Lawrence Peck is a freelance writer and researcher based in Los Angeles and Seoul. Having intensively researched and closely monitored the activities of pro-North Korea and other extremist groups and activists in the U.S. for over 25 years, he has been recognized in the U.S. and Korea as one of the leading American authorities on such topics, and has lectured, written extensively and been interviewed on such topics in the U.S. and Korea. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. He previously worked in Korea for several of the largest Korean business groups in the fields of intellectual property licensing and international business development. He has also served as an advisor to the North Korea Freedom Coalition of the U.S.
Memri
4 days ago
- Politics
- Memri
Open Sources Indicate Chinese Involvement In South Korea – Support For Pro-China Politicians, Cultural Influence, Sexual Bribery, Espionage, And Online Manipulation
Open sources indicate that China influences politics and society in South Korea through many channels. Much of this influence is connected to the pro-China leftist Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), which dominates the National Assembly. The DPK has weaponized the legislative branch's lawmaking power and impeached pro-US President Yoon Suk-yeol, who pursued economic decoupling from China. The following short list, comprising information taken form open sources, gives some examples of China's influence in South Korea. China's Long-Term Support For Pro-China Politicians In South Korea: Lee Jae-myung, current DPK candidate at the June 3 presidential elections • Lee actively advocates for improving relations with China and criticized the "inequality" of the U.S.-South Korea alliance . • He has claimed that, if elected, he would cancel THAAD deployment. He argues that the U.S. uses THAAD to block China's maritime access and spy on Chinese secrets, solely for U.S. interests. • Lee holds an anti-Japan stance. On November 14, 2016, he criticized the South Korea-Japan Military Intelligence Protection Agreement. • In March 2024, Lee questioned the Yoon administration's stance toward China, asking, "Why provoke China? What does the Taiwan issue have to do with South Korea?" Former President Moon Jae-in (2017-2022) • During his presidency, Moon Jae-in promoted China-South Korea reconciliation. • Yoon accused Moon's administration of leaking THAAD-related intelligence and collaborating with China. See: Exclusive: Audit finds Moon administration leaked THAAD details to China, civic groups, Chosun daily, Nov.19, 2024 Editorial: Moon officials undermined THAAD to appease China, Chosun daily, Apr. 10, 2025 • Moon Jae-in has publicly endorsed the view that South Korea's founding was illegitimate, portraying it as the work of pro-Japanese collaborators under U.S. influence. Cultural Involvement • By the end of 2023, there were 39 Confucius Institutes promoting the CCP in South Korea. • In Seoul National University's (SNU) there is a "Xi Jinping Collection Room," a section of the main library that houses more than 10,000 books and videos donated by the Chinese leader after his visit to the country in 2014. • In 2019, Institute for Democracy, an arm of the Democratic party of Korea responsible for election strategy, signed an agreement with the CCP Central Committee's Party School, which produces the party elites. Sexual Bribery A senior South Korean intelligence official told Epoch Times journalist Joshua Philipp about high-ranking South Korean officials and business elites being under the control of the CCP due to sexual bribes, and secret fund transfers.[1] Spy Activities Chinese Students Caught Using Drones to Spy on U.S. and Korean Military Bases • In June 2024, three Chinese students were caught using drones to film U.S. aircraft carrier. In January 2024, a Chinese national was detained flying a drone near a security-sensitive zone. Chinese nationals had been caught filming South Korean military and key government facilities on 11 occasions since June 2024. • On December 23, 2022, the Korean media reported that a restaurant in Seoul was identified as a CCP 'secret police station' to suppress dissidents. Legal Loopholes: Article 98 of Korea's criminal code defines espionage only in relation to "enemy states" (i.e., N. Korea). China is not classified as an enemy, which limits legal tools to prosecute Chinese spies. Online Manipulation • Troll Army "Wu Mao" active in Korean online platforms like Naver, Daum, to sway opinion on political issues. • Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) investigated hacking by N. Korea and CCP against South Korea's National Election Commission servers and computers, and it discovered serious weaknesses in the system.
Miami Herald
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Ally Revives Aircraft Carrier Plan Amid North Korea Threat
South Korea, a United States ally, is set to revive its plan to construct an aircraft carrier amid threats from its nuclear neighbor, North Korea, local media reported. Newsweek has contacted South Korea's military for comment by Facebook message. The North Korean Embassy in China did not immediately respond to a request for comment. North Korea has been threatening to use force against South Korea, which is protected by U.S. forces stationed in the country. The Pentagon has frequently deployed aircraft carriers to the Korean Peninsula to demonstrate its commitment and extended deterrence to its ally. While North Korea's naval power remains inferior to that of the U.S. and South Korea, it is bolstering its navy by building missile-armed destroyers and a nuclear-powered submarine. Recently, U.S. and South Korean navies conducted a joint drill to strengthen their ability to counter simultaneous attacks. This came after the North Korean launch of multiple short-range ballistic missiles over the Sea of Japan-referred to as the East Sea in South Korea. The South Korean military will move forward with its aircraft carrier project after making modifications, newspaper The Chosun Daily reported on Monday. The original plan called for the construction of a 30,000-ton vessel equipped with F-35B stealth fighter jets. Under the revised project, the proposed aircraft carrier will be transformed into a "multifunctional unmanned combat force command ship," capable of carrying dozens of drones for a range of missions, including combat, self-detonation, surveillance and reconnaissance. A self-detonation drone, also known as a kamikaze attack drone, is designed to crash into its target. North Korea tested this type of drone last November and put it into mass production. Citing the South Korean military, the report said the navy recently presented the new plan to a defense committee of the National Assembly. The so-called "drone carrier" will be capable of responding to North Korean threats by conducting strikes, as well as raid and landing operations. The project was first launched under the Moon Jae-in administration, which held office from 2017 to 2022. However, it was suspended by the succeeding administration, led by President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was removed from office last month for his declaration of martial law. The South Korean navy tested the "drone carrier" concept last November, when a Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft-capable of short takeoffs and landings-launched from the amphibious landing ship ROKS Dokdo and landed at a ground base. This demonstrated the versatility of short takeoff and landing capability aboard a warship not designed for fixed-wing aircraft, the South Korean navy said at the time, which also proved that new capabilities can be added without costly, major modifications to existing warships. The South Korean navy said: "We have taken into account the situation of future maritime warfare and the development of artificial intelligence, unmanned technology, etc. It is necessary to…build an unmanned composite combat system as soon as possible." Specialist outlet The War Zone said: "The Republic of Korea Armed Forces already operates a wide range of drones, ranging in size from Israeli-made Harpy loitering munitions to U.S.-supplied RQ-4B Block 30 Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft." Republic of Korea is the official name of South Korea. According to The Chosun Daily, the modified, drone-equipped aircraft carrier could be constructed as early as the late 2030s, if a final decision is made within the year. Related Articles US and Ally Stage Naval Drills in Warning to North KoreaNorth Korea Fires New Missile Warning at US and AlliesMap Shows Where China Is Imposing Fishing Ban on NeighborsNorth Korea Photos Offer Glimpse of Kim Jong Un's Tank Factory 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
![[Exclusive] Ex-domestic intelligence agent of NIS joining 'Han Duck-soo campaign': Democratic Party of Korea](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F04%2F30%2Frcv.YNA.20250430.PYH2025043014200001300_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Exclusive] Ex-domestic intelligence agent of NIS joining 'Han Duck-soo campaign': Democratic Party of Korea](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Exclusive] Ex-domestic intelligence agent of NIS joining 'Han Duck-soo campaign': Democratic Party of Korea
A former National Intelligence Service official who is reportedly aiding acting President Han Duck-soo's supposed bid for the June 3 presidential election was a top-level domestic intelligence agent, according to a Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker. The Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Korea Herald on Thursday that the former NIS agent was a "seasoned domestic intelligence officer" who is "well-versed" in the workings of elections. According to the lawmaker, the former agent had the highest rank for a South Korean public official, and had retired before domestic intelligence operations were scrapped at the NIS under the Moon Jae-in administration. The former agent, the lawmaker said, had likely accumulated contacts with politicians while working in domestic intelligence. The agent is "someone who undoubtedly has in-depth knowledge of how elections work," the lawmaker added. Earlier on Thursday, Rep. Kim Min-seok, who is on the Democratic Party's supreme council, claimed he received "tips from a credible source" that a former NIS official was about to join the acting president's rumored campaign team. The acting president has not made his presidential bid official.
![[Yoo Choon-sik] Statistical integrity must top governance agenda](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F04%2F27%2Fnews-p.v1.20250427.02bd9d98763848c295aa157f34d86a34_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Korea Herald
27-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
[Yoo Choon-sik] Statistical integrity must top governance agenda
We have been witnessing an exponential increase in the frequency of writings emphasizing the value of good governance over the past several years, particularly in debates on how to ensure that artificial intelligence innovation contributes to the sustained prosperity of humanity. South Koreans are also observing a growing number of discussions on governance issues in another context — sparked by the political turmoil following former President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of martial law in early December last year. This unrest culminated in the Constitutional Court's decision to depose him and is continuing ahead of the snap election scheduled for early June. Like millions of my fellow citizens, I sincerely hope the June 3 election will help put to rest the widespread concerns about governance issues in this country. However, such hope may prove premature — especially in light of a recent announcement by the Board of Audit and Inspection, which reported suspected systematic manipulation of key government statistics on the housing market during the Moon Jae-in administration. In a revelation that has shaken the foundations of public trust, the nation's supreme audit institution has found that between January 2018 and October 2021, the Korea Real Estate Board was pressured by the presidential office and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to alter housing price data on 102 occasions. These manipulations were intended to portray the administration's real estate policies in a more favorable light by reporting artificially reduced growth rates — or even declines — in housing prices, in contradiction to actual market trends. During this process, the REB was subjected to threats of budget cuts and staff reductions if it failed to comply, highlighting the coercive methods employed to distort the truth. The manipulation extended beyond housing statistics. Discrepancies between official data and private-sector statistics — particularly those from KB Kookmin Bank, a widely trusted source of housing market trends — prompted the Moon administration to explore ways to suppress independent data providers. According to internal government documents, measures were even proposed to regulate or marginalize private indices, including the introduction of a certification system for private statistics and the imposition of fines for noncompliance. The objective was unmistakable: to reduce public scrutiny and control the narrative around housing price trends. The findings, detailed in a final report following a nearly three-year investigation, expose a disturbing pattern of falsification involving housing price data, income figures and employment statistics. This scandal is a textbook case highlighting the governance challenges facing South Korea, including one to restore trust in government statistics. When official numbers are manipulated, the consequences extend far beyond flawed policymaking — they also erode confidence in governance, financial markets and public institutions. While this scandal is particularly alarming, it is not unique — many other nations have engaged in similar distortions of statistical data, with far-reaching consequences. One of the most infamous examples occurred in Greece, where authorities misrepresented budget deficit figures to meet European Union requirements. Trust matters more than anything else The Greek government understated its fiscal deficit and debt levels, concealing the country's true financial instability. When the deception was uncovered in 2009, Greece plunged into a severe economic crisis marked by austerity measures, surging unemployment and a prolonged recession. The scandal not only undermined trust in Greece's governance but also contributed to wider financial instability across Europe. Other notable examples include Argentina and China. Under the administrations of Nestor and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Argentina's government manipulated inflation data to make economic conditions appear less dire. In China, authorities have previously faced accusations of inflating economic growth figures to project an image of stability and prosperity. On the surface, some might argue that manipulating statistics provides short-term political gains. However, the long-term consequences are far more serious than and often reach beyond what most people anticipate. When governments distort statistics, public faith in official data deteriorates, complicating the implementation of future policies. Once skepticism sets in, public institutions must fight an uphill battle to restore credibility — a process that can lead to enduring political instability. Falsified economic data can also mislead investors, businesses and international organizations. We have seen this in countries that understated financial risks or exaggerated growth figures, only to face market crashes, capital flight and economic crises — as was the case in Greece and Argentina. In democratic societies, transparency is essential. When governments manipulate statistics, they undermine accountability, enabling political leaders to deflect criticism and justify flawed policies. Distorted data also skews public perceptions on critical issues such as poverty, crime and unemployment, prompting citizens to respond based on false premises. This misinformation can lead to misguided protests, misplaced complacency or irrational economic behavior. Moreover, countries caught manipulating statistics risk damaging their global reputations. International organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Bank rely heavily on accurate data. Violations can result in reduced foreign aid, restricted investment opportunities and diplomatic repercussions. Statistical integrity is indispensable for sound governance. Even if initial motivations are not malicious, manipulating data may offer short-term political benefits at the cost of long-term consequences — including economic instability, erosion of public trust and weakened democratic institutions. We understand that the incoming government — which will begin work immediately after the June 3 election results are confirmed, due to the nature of this snap election — will face an enormous list of urgent tasks from day one. There is no doubt that each task carries significant weight, whether it involves responding to the impact of US tariff hikes or revitalizing the country's efforts to stay competitive in the global AI innovation race. Nonetheless, I wish to stress that restoring public trust in official statistics should be prioritized at the very top of this list. Governments must implement independent oversight, reinforce legal safeguards and pursue institutional reforms to ensure that national data remains free from political interference. A nation's success is grounded in good governance, the very foundation upon which democracy flourishes and the well-being of its people is protected. Good governance ensures that power serves the people, not political agendas. Trust in governance is not a given; it must be earned through integrity and accountability. Yoo Choon-sik worked for nearly 30 years at Reuters, including as the chief Korea economics correspondent, and briefly worked as a business strategy consultant. The views expressed here are the writer's own. — Ed.
