[The Editors' Verdict] What Shoes Will the President Wear Today?

Kim Min-jin, Head of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups

President Yoon Suk-yeol's shoes have been a hot topic day after day. It is unclear whether they appeared in the media because they were a hot topic or became a hot topic because they appeared in the media. During his first weekend shopping after taking office, he bought a pair of comfort shoes from Vainer, a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), priced at 198,000 won, which made the news. Being domestically made, an SME product, and the shoe company’s CEO being a well-known figure with a story, it was a perfect combination.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who visited Korea, also joined in. A presidential office official hinted to reporters that President Biden, upon seeing President Yoon’s shoes, made remarks about the shoes, creating a warm atmosphere. At the Korea-U.S. summit, President Biden reportedly said, “(President) Yoon’s shoes are so clean. I should have polished my shoes more before coming.”

President Biden must have been briefed on the new Korean president’s first weekend after inauguration and prepared appropriate compliments and jokes. The presidential office added the story that First Lady Kim Keon-hee advised President Yoon to wear the dress shoes he wore at his wedding, so he polished and wore those. In politics, even shoes and spousal support can be used as material.

There were signs that shoes would emerge as a key prop in the early days of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The day after the inauguration, President Yoon presided over the first senior secretaries’ meeting at the Yongsan presidential office and encouraged his aides to “work until the soles of their shoes wear out.” Prime Minister Han Duck-soo responded ten days later, after barely passing the appointment approval process, saying he would “work until the heels of his shoes wear out.”

President Yoon also has a complicated relationship with shoes. In February, during his candidacy for the People Power Party presidential nomination, he was criticized for putting his feet up on an empty seat on the KTX train without taking off his shoes.

Shoes often become a topic for politicians. Even more so for presidents. Former President Moon Jae-in became a topic early in his term when it was revealed that the soles of his old shoes were worn out. The worn shoes he wore before becoming president were coincidentally spotlighted. Those shoes were from Ajio, a social enterprise brand making shoes by hearing-impaired and physically disabled people. The company, which had closed due to financial difficulties, reopened after five years thanks to that attention and remains active today.

Our interest in what shoes the president wears stems from their symbolism. The political world sometimes uses that as a message to the public. If the national leader is smart and diligent, the people are more comfortable. For the public, “shoes” and “soles” symbolize that.

The SME Entrepreneurs’ Convention, hosted by the SME sector, will be held tonight (the 25th) at the Yongsan presidential office. The SME sector attaches significance to this as the largest event marking the 60th anniversary of the Korea Federation of SMEs and as the first economic organization invitation event of the Yongsan era, with SME entrepreneurs as the main guests. Especially, for the first time in the history of the SME Entrepreneurs’ Convention, the heads of the five largest conglomerates?Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Eui-sun, among others?will attend to express their will for coexistence with SMEs, which has encouraged the SME sector.

It will be interesting to see what shoes President Yoon will wear to such an event. Despite being busy with domestic and international affairs day after day, President Yoon will surely be running around until the soles of his shoes wear out on the 25th as well. We hope his brisk steps will invigorate the SME sector. Until he completes his five-year term, attention will continue to be on the president’s shoes.