"Know Nothing"... The Absurd Resume of the 'Nakhasan' Dongseo Power President

President Kim Young-moon's Job Performance Report... "Knows Almost Nothing and Has No Experience"
Appointed in April Last Year Under Moon Administration... Criticized for Poor Verification and Political Appointment

Kim Young-moon, President of Korea East-West Power, attended the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee's audit of the Korea Customs Service in October 2019 when he was serving as the Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] It has been revealed that Kim Young-moon, President of Korea East-West Power appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration, wrote in his job performance plan submitted during last year’s recruitment that he "knows almost nothing about the work and has no experience in the power industry." In other words, an 'outsider' to the energy industry was appointed to lead a power generation public enterprise with annual sales of 4.8 trillion won.

According to materials submitted by East-West Power to Rep. Koo Ja-geun of the People Power Party on the 4th, Kim stated in the job performance plan submitted during the recruitment process early last year that "I know almost nothing about the work of East-West Power" and that he was in a "completely inexperienced state in the power industry sector." Furthermore, Kim acknowledged that his job performance plan was inevitably "a faulty plan based on fragmentary and incorrect knowledge, like 'the blind men touching an elephant.'"

In the section asking about East-West Power’s operational policies, Kim once again emphasized that he was an outsider to the power industry. Kim wrote, "In a state lacking even basic knowledge of the power industry, I am submitting a job performance plan based on guesses and thoughts without concrete data," adding, "Specific implementation measures and schedules can only be possible after accurately understanding the actual work conditions." In the section asking about the current situation of East-West Power, Kim only made general remarks such as 'environmental challenges,' 'Fourth Industrial Revolution,' and 'raising safety awareness.'

Part of the job performance plan submitted by Kim Young-moon, President of Korea East-West Power, during the recruitment process last year. [Photo provided by Assemblyman Koo Ja-geun of the People Power Party]

The job performance plan is a document that candidates for public institution presidents submit along with their application and self-introduction during the appointment process. Candidates diagnose the major issues of the public institution themselves and describe specific work plans and operational directions, making it a key document in the hiring of public institution presidents. Initially, the East-West Power executive recommendation committee specified "knowledge and experience related to the power industry sector" as a qualification in the recruitment announcement for president candidates.

This is why Kim has been criticized as a 'parachute appointment.' Kim, a former prosecutor, worked as an administrative officer under former President Moon Jae-in, who was the Chief Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs during the Roh Moo-hyun administration. During the Moon Jae-in administration, Kim served as Commissioner of the Korea Customs Service and, after falling from grace at the General Election Commission, was appointed president of East-West Power in April last year. Kim is also a junior alumnus of Gyeongnam High School, the same school as former President Moon.

Meanwhile, Kim’s term as president runs until April 2024. East-West Power has not submitted evaluation documents from the evaluators or interview-related materials to the National Assembly regarding Kim’s recruitment. Rep. Koo said, "Energy public enterprises require a higher level of expertise and work capability than other public institutions," adding, "However, due to the Moon Jae-in administration’s 'blind parachute appointments,' the fairness of the recruitment process has completely collapsed, and the institution has degenerated into one that is overly concerned with government approval."