[Yongsan Report] "No Political Talk During Holidays" Silent Presidential Office 'Neulgong'

Even Mentioning It Feels Burdensome

President Yoon Suk-yeol is attending the 4th impeachment trial hearing held at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 23rd. Photo by Yonhap News

"I won't talk about politics this Lunar New Year holiday. As always, but especially this year, I must refrain."

The ‘Neul-gong’ (always civil servant) aides met at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 24th, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, conveyed this sentiment to reporters offering well-wishes. After the December 3 emergency martial law incident, employees working at the Presidential Office were plagued by calls asking about their safety amid concerns. Although the frequency of such calls has recently decreased, they still face the burden of responding to these check-in calls.

Civil servants dispatched from government ministries to the Presidential Office are often the so-called ‘aces’ of their departments, handling intense workloads. As a result, after serving at the Presidential Office, they are recognized for their work performance and sometimes return to their ministries to take key positions. However, with President Yoon Seok-yeol’s duties suspended and the loss of national momentum, the morale of former Neul-gong personnel has recently declined.

In recent public opinion polls showing the support rates of the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea fluctuating closely, the expressions of ‘Eo-gong’ (occasional civil servant) aides have noticeably brightened, while Neul-gong aides have been keeping tight-lipped. One aide said, "As about two months have passed since the martial law incident, changes in public opinion are being detected, but I will absolutely not discuss politics this Lunar New Year holiday." Although the prolonged situation is causing the tense atmosphere during the martial law period to gradually fade, even mentioning it is burdensome.

Professor Lee Jun-han of the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Incheon National University said, "Marriage, politics, and employment are the three topics to avoid during holidays," adding, "It is hard to ignore that ‘regime re-creation’ is gaining strength in various polls, but it is still difficult to equate poll results with the upcoming presidential election outcome. Therefore, we need to watch for possible changes such as a three-way race and the direction of swing voters (undecided voters) going forward."