[Asia Economy Jeong Wanju, Deputy Director and Head of Political Department] Among social science scholars full of geniuses, Max Weber is regarded as a genius among geniuses. Although that genius experienced failure while pursuing a dream of becoming a politician, the issues he raised for politicians have left a legacy that continues to be discussed to this day.
The issues Weber left regarding politicians are well captured in his lecture collection, Politics as a Vocation. Weber argues that politicians should possess both the ethics of conviction and the ethics of responsibility. This means that these two ethical perspectives must be balanced.
Professor Kim Hokki of Yonsei University’s Department of Sociology defines it as follows: the ethics of conviction means choosing and acting on moral good based on the distinction between good and evil. On the other hand, the ethics of responsibility refers to unlimited accountability for political decisions.
Flipping Weber’s emphasis reveals that these two orientations are actually contradictory. It is difficult to find politicians who maintain a balance between these two values, and even more challenging to keep them in check. Therefore, Weber defined politicians as a group that seeks to realize “angelic causes” by using “devilish means.”
Devilish means ultimately include legitimate violence or even ruthless acts. Hence, they always put forward a righteous cause. It is common to rationalize the process simply because the cause is just. Means that lack rational grounds and balance only cause discord.
Reflecting on the recent conflict between Minister of Justice Choo Mi-ae and Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl, which has emerged as a political flashpoint, I feel this acutely. Rather than a balanced view, my reflection is on Minister Choo’s words and actions as the person with supervisory authority. Interpreted in good faith, Minister Choo’s recent moves seem aimed directly at Prosecutor General Yoon, the head of the prosecution, to suppress resistance from the prosecution organization against reform. Judging by the cause alone, it could be called an angelic cause.
However, following the ongoing conflict with Prosecutor General Yoon, her recent move to invoke six reasons to exclude him from duty raises doubts. Except for the ruling party, no one readily agrees with those reasons, sparking controversy. It feels awkward and rough. It is hard to exclude a sense of forced justification.
Recent public opinion on the “Choo-Yoon” conflict and related measures is not very favorable toward Minister Choo, which supports this view. The Ministry of Justice’s Inspection Committee even concluded that the exclusion from duty and disciplinary request against Prosecutor General Yoon were unjust.
Ultimately, this raises suspicion that devilish means were used for an angelic cause. It appears to be a move focused on “purging.” Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun, who oversees cabinet members, repeatedly expressed discomfort, which can be seen as part of this trend. The dignified “politics” to resolve conflicts has disappeared, leaving only the “means” aimed at purging highlighted. The loss of balance may be the reason why the public frowns. Only confrontation and conflict are visible, while solutions and coordination are hard to find. This vicious cycle neither appears sincere nor achieves practical results.
This week, the conflict and discord between Minister Choo and Prosecutor General Yoon seem to be reaching a peak. On the 30th of last month, Prime Minister Chung reportedly expressed concern during a weekly meeting with President Moon Jae-in that “the disciplinary issue of Prosecutor General Yoon is a significant burden on state administration.” Then, on the 1st, Prime Minister Chung had a private meeting with Minister Choo for about ten minutes before the cabinet meeting.
President Moon and Minister Choo also had a private meeting immediately after the cabinet meeting that day. It is unclear whether discussions about “resignation,” as mentioned in some political circles, took place, but tensions increased. Attention is focused on whether the conclusion will lead to the “Choo-Yoon” joint resignation or sequential resignations. If mishandled, the fallout from devilish means could leap beyond Prime Minister Chung and target President Moon.
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