 ▲ 정부 종합청사 건물. ©브레이크뉴스 |
한국정치사에서 최대 미스테리는 윤석열 전 대통령의 계엄이다. 그대로 가만히만 있었으면 당시 정적이었던 이재명 대표는 선거법위반 재판 등으로 6개월 후면 의원 자격을 잃거나 더 잘못되면 사법처리까지 가능한 지경이었다. 윤석열은 계엄만 안했으면 탄핵당할 일도 없고 5년임기가 2027년 5월9일까지였으므로 반도체 초호황이 임기 말을 수놓아 증시가 8천, 9천을 넘나드는 것도 그의 치적이 됐을 터이다. 그냥 외유만 하고 다녔어도 성공한 대통령의 반열에 들었을 것이다.
마치 미국 대통령사에서 리처드 닉슨이 워터게이트사건을 저지르지 않았거나 그게 밝혀진 후에도 법에 따라 부하들을 처벌한달 지 하여 자신이 거짓증언을 하지 않았더라면 중국과 국교를 맺은 위대한 대통령으로 남을 수 있었을 텐데 자멸의 길로 갔는지 이해하기 어려운 것처럼 윤석열의 계엄도 설명이 잘 안 된다. 그보다 작은 케이스이지만 이재명 대통령의 8.31 개각도 이해가 안가는 수준급 미스터리다.
지자체 선거에서 서울시장을 내줬지만 이대통령은 과반이 훨씬 넘는 의석수로 의회를 장악하고 당대표도 명픽이고 사법부도 수중에 있으나 정치적으로 아쉬울게 하나도 없는 상황이다. 부동산 증시가 불안하고 검찰 보완수사권 폐지와 잇따른 경찰의 헛발질로 대통령에 대한 지지율 추락으로 나타나고 있긴하나 대응만 잘하면 얼마든지 깜짝 반전이 가능하다.
그럴 때 가장 특표약은 쇄신 개각이다. 포장만 잘하면 천둥번개를 잠재우고 말짱한 푸른 하늘을 창출해내는게 인사의 마법이다. 8.31 개각시점은 그런 차원에서 절박한 순간이었다. 대통령에 대한 지지율이 크게 떨어졌다는 것은 정책이나 대통령의 행보가 맘에 안 들어 국민이 화가 많이 났다는 뜻이다.
부동산 가격불안과 금융운용, 세금대책에 대한 불만. 증시정책으로 삼성전자 하이닉스 단일레버리지 etf정책을 잘못 써 주가가 9300에서 한때 4000포인트나 빠져 영끌 빚투(빚 투자) 했다가 청년층이 큰 손해를 본 게 지지율 추락 으뜸 원인이었다. 또 경찰이 취약층 특히 여성에 대한 인권보호가 부족하여 희생되는 사례가 빈발하여 검찰보완수사권 폐지에 반대율이 55~63%에 달하는 여론조사가 나왔는데도 폐지강행한게 불만을 줬다.
흔히 이재명대통령을 곁에서 지켜본 인사들은 "굉장히 겁이 많다"고들 말한다. 당대표로 명픽 김민석이 정청래 당 대표 후보를 무찌르자마자 개현 대통령연임, 대통령 수사 뭉개기로 비쳐지는 공소취소 특검 얘기가 한꺼번에 쏟아졌다. 그게 대통령지지율을 67%에서 36%로 거의 반 토막 나게 국민을 화나게 했다. 8.31 개각 명단이 김승원 법무장관, 용혜인 성평등부(옛가족부)장관, 이형일 경제부총리, 홍지선 국토부장관, 강신철 국방장관, 이소영 중기벤처부장관등으로 나왔다. 나는 이 명단을 보고 대경실색했다. 언론은 김승원 법무는 공소취하 미션을 갖고 임명됐다고 썼다. 아니 국민이 대통령욕심에 진저리 내는데도 재판취소를 국정1호로 본단 말인가? 윤석열 계엄미스테리란 이미지가 떠올랐다. 김승원은 민주당내 공소취하 의원모임의 회장출신이다. 국민이 개헌 연임, 재판 뭉개기에 학을 떼는데 버젓이 또 추진한다?
단일 레버리지 ETF 출시로 증시를 대폭락시킨 김용범 청와대 정책실장, 금융위원장이나 금감원장을 손도 안댄 것은 또 뭔가? 김민석이 건의하니 하루 후, 김용범 정책실장이 물러났다.
1990년생 용혜인이 장관 국회의원 겸임으로 연간 12억원을 받고 말고는 젊은층에 공정 감각에 호응이 안가긴 가지만 권력전체로 보면 곁가지다. 국민이 치사한 과거에 화를 내도록 용혜인을 미끼용으로 내던져 놓고 큰 뜻을 만들어줄 김승원을 청문회에 통과시키기 위한 전략이란 해설을 보면 대중의 집단지성을 집단치매로 깔보려는 것 같다.
프랑스로 출국 전, 이재명 대통령은 "개헌 시 연임안할 것이냐"는 질문에 "도둑놈에게 도독질 안할 것이냐고 묻는 것처럼 하나마나한 질문"이라고 답했다. 야당 측은 "연임 없다"는 4글자 발음이 그리 어렵냐며 법꾸라지라 믿을 수 없다고 지적했다.
김승원은 국가자금을 훔쳐 먹으려는 사깃꾼 바이오업자에게 식약청이 빨리 신약허가를 내주라는 브로커 여성이 보고 싶어 눈물이 날 정도라니 법무장관보다는 브로커 동업자가 제격인 듯하다. 성공급 수십억을 거론한 녹음파일도 나왔다. 용혜인의 기본소득당은 주업이 국고보조금을 타먹는 식으로 나온다. 뉴스를 보는 국민들은 청와대 인사팀은 검증능력이 있는 건지, 검증을 하다만 건지 도대체 국가기관이 정상적으로 작동하는 건지 한심해서 혀를 끌끌 찰 것이다. 조금이라도 과거 행적을 들춰봤다면 대통령이 누구와 상의하여 이런 인사를 냈는지 궁금하다, 김현지가 인사의 실세란 얘기도 나온다. 사실 윤석열과 닉슨의 미스테리 이면의 공통점은 권력자의 오만이 자리하고 있다. "내가 하겠다는데 누가 감히 시비를 걸어?" 바로 그거다.
권력자는 옳은 지적을 해주는 어드 바이저, 자신이 어려워할 원로와 항상 논의를 해야 건강하다.
 ▲필자/김세형 언론인. ©김세형 페이스북 |
대통령은 모든 국민을 대표하고 그래서 모두의 대통령이란 초심의 취임사를 잊으면 위험해진다. 이재명 대통령이 중도 실용론을 버리고 갑자기 외편 더 챙기기로 가면서 곧잘 쓴 소리 잘하는 이석연 국민통합위원장을 잘라내는 모습을 국민은 바라보고 있다. 이제 지난 8.31 개각으로 여자 브로커와 수상쩍어 보이는 자에게 법무장관을 맡기긴 어려울 것 같다. 용혜인 장관후보자도 젊음과 여성을 대표하기엔 무리임이 드러났다. 국정우선순위기 국민의 삶을 넘어 권력자 챙기기는 더더욱 용납이 안되는 일이다. 그 핵심을 넘는 미스터리가 계속 작용한다면 지지율 40%대회복은 가망이 없다.
*필자/김세형 언론인.
*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.>
The Mystery Behind the Lee Jae-myung Administration’s August 31 Cabinet Reshuffle Failure
- Journalist Kim Se-hyung
The greatest mystery in the history of Korean politics is former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s declaration of martial law. Had he simply remained inactive, then-political rival Lee Jae-myung would have lost his parliamentary seat within six months due to trials for election law violations, or, if things had gone further, faced potential judicial prosecution. Had Yoon not declared martial law, he would not have faced impeachment, and since his five-year term ran until May 9, 2027, a semiconductor super-boom would have adorned the final days of his term, causing the stock market to hover around 8,000 or 9,000 points, which would have been considered one of his achievements. He would have been ranked among the successful presidents even if he had simply spent his time traveling abroad.
Much like how it is difficult to understand why Richard Nixon went down the path of self-destruction in U.S. presidential history—having not committed the Watergate scandal, or had he not punished his subordinates according to the law and refrained from giving false testimony after it was revealed, had he not been remembered as a great president who established diplomatic relations with China—Yoon Suk-yeol's "martial law" is also difficult to explain. Although on a smaller scale, President Lee Jae-myung's August 31 cabinet reshuffle is also a mystery of a high caliber that is hard to comprehend.
Although he lost the Seoul mayoral election, President Lee controls the legislature with well over a majority of seats, holds the party leadership as a top pick, and has the judiciary in his grasp; politically, he is in a position where he has absolutely nothing to lose. While the instability in the real estate and stock markets, the abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigation powers, and the police's repeated blunders are causing his approval ratings to plummet, a surprising turnaround is entirely possible if he responds well.
In such a situation, the most effective remedy is a cabinet reshuffle for reform. The magic of personnel appointments lies in the ability to quell thunder and lightning and create a clear blue sky if the packaging is done well. In that sense, the timing of the August 31 cabinet reshuffle was a desperate moment. A significant drop in the President's approval rating signifies that the public is deeply angry because they are dissatisfied with his policies or his actions.
Dissatisfaction with real estate price instability, financial management, and tax measures was a primary cause of the plummeting approval rating. Regarding stock market policy, the mishandling of the single-leverage ETF policy for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix caused stock prices to drop by as much as 4,000 points from 9,300 at one point, leading to massive losses for the youth who had engaged in "all-in" debt-financed investment. Furthermore, dissatisfaction was fueled by the forced abolition of the prosecution's supplementary investigative authority, despite public opinion polls showing opposition rates of 55–63% due to frequent instances of victims resulting from the police's lack of human rights protection for vulnerable groups, particularly women.
People who have observed President Lee Jae-myung closely often say that he is "extremely timid." As soon as the top pick Kim Min-seok defeated candidate Jeong Cheong-rae for party leader, talk of a presidential re-election and a special prosecutor to drop charges—which was perceived as a cover-up for the presidential investigation—flooded in all at once. This angered the public, causing the President's approval rating to plummet from 67% to 36%, nearly halving it. The August 31 cabinet reshuffle list was released, featuring Justice Minister Kim Seung-won, Minister for Gender Equality (formerly Family Affairs) Yong Hye-in, Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Lee Hyung-il, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Hong Ji-sun, Minister of National Defense Kang Shin-chul, and Minister for SMEs and Startups Lee So-young. I was utterly shocked upon seeing this list. The media reported that Justice Minister Kim Seung-won was appointed with the mission of dropping charges. I mean, does he really consider canceling trials his number one priority when the public is sick and tired of the President's greed? The image of the "Yoon Suk-yeol Martial Law Mystery" came to mind. Kim Seung-won is a former chairman of the Democratic Party's lawmakers' group advocating for the withdrawal of charges. The public is sick and tired of constitutional amendments, consecutive terms, and the slacking off of trials, yet they are blatantly pushing for it again?
What is the reason for not touching the Chairman of the Financial Services Commission or the Governor of the Financial Supervisory Service, Kim Yong-bum, the Blue House Policy Chief who caused a massive stock market crash with the launch of a single-leverage ETF? Policy Chief Kim Yong-bum resigned just one day after Kim Min-seok made a suggestion.
While the fact that Yong Hye-in, born in 1990, receives 1.2 billion won annually by concurrently serving as a minister and a member of the National Assembly may not resonate with the younger generation in terms of fairness, it is a side issue when viewed from the perspective of the overall power structure. The interpretation that this is a strategy to throw Yong Hye-in out as bait to provoke public anger over petty pasts, while ensuring Kim Seung-won passes the confirmation hearing to create a grand vision, suggests an attempt to look down on the collective intelligence of the public as collective dementia.
Before departing for France, President Lee Jae-myung responded to the question, "Will you not seek a consecutive term if the constitution is amended?" by saying, "It is a pointless question, like asking a thief if he will not steal." The opposition party pointed out that he is untrustworthy as a "legal eel," asking if it is really that difficult to pronounce the four-syllable phrase "no consecutive term."
Kim Seung-won is said to be so moved to tears by the fact that he wants to see a female broker who urges the KFDA to quickly grant new drug approvals to fraudulent biotech entrepreneurs trying to steal state funds that he seems more suited to being a broker partner than the Minister of Justice. A recording has also emerged mentioning success fees in the billions of won. Yong Hye-in's Basic Income Party appears to have its main occupation as collecting state subsidies. Citizens watching the news will likely click their tongues in disapproval, wondering if the Blue House personnel team has the ability to vet, if they failed to do so half-heartedly, and if state agencies are functioning normally at all. If one had looked into his past actions even slightly, they would wonder who the President consulted with to make such appointments; there is even talk that Kim Hyun-ji is the real power behind the personnel decisions. In fact, the common thread behind the mystery surrounding Yoon Suk-yeol and Nixon lies in the arrogance of those in power. "Who dares to pick a fight when I am doing it?" That is exactly it.
The opposition party criticized him, asking if he was really that difficult to pronounce. Those in power remain healthy only when they constantly consult with advisors who offer sound criticism and with elders they may find difficult to deal with.
The President represents all citizens, and therefore, it becomes dangerous if he forgets the initial resolve expressed in his inaugural address to be "the President of all." The public is watching as President Lee Jae-myung abandons centrist pragmatism and suddenly shifts toward favoring his own faction, ousting Lee Seok-yon, Chairman of the National Unity Committee, who is known for his willingness to offer harsh criticism. Now, following the cabinet reshuffle on August 31, it seems unlikely that the position of Minister of Justice will be entrusted to a female broker or someone who appears suspicious. Ministerial nominee Yong Hye-in has also proven to be ill-suited to represent youth and women. Prioritizing the interests of those in power over the lives of the people is an even more unacceptable matter. If the mystery surrounding this issue continues to operate, there is no hope of recovering the approval rating to the 40% range.
*Author/Kim Se-hyung, Journalist.
