[Reporter’s Notebook] Minister, You Should Attend the Ministers’ Meeting.

The Economic Ministers' Meeting held in Seoul on May 8 was essentially a "minister-less ministers' meeting." This meeting is intended as a forum where ministers from various departments gather to address domestic economic issues and prepare for external risks. However, the meeting room was noticeably empty that day. Only the Financial Services Commission and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups were represented by their ministers. Originally, a total of 12 ministers were supposed to attend, but 10 sent deputy representatives instead.

The meeting was chaired by Kim Beomseok, the First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance. Kim assumed the acting role after Choi Sangmok, the former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Economy and Finance, stepped down on May 2. Although Kim is officially the "acting minister," some departments regarded the meeting as one merely chaired by a vice minister.

Some ministries had legitimate reasons for their absence. The Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport were in the Czech Republic handling nuclear power plant contracts for Korea. The Minister of Environment was in Cambodia promoting Korea's water industry. The Minister of Employment and Labor is running as a presidential candidate, while the Minister of Gender Equality and Family and the Minister of the Interior and Safety positions remain vacant due to political circumstances.

The issue lies with the ministries that were absent solely due to protocol. An official from the Office for Government Policy Coordination stated, "Since the First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance was presiding, it was appropriate for vice-minister-level officials to attend," adding, "It is odd to question why ministers did not attend when it was a meeting chaired by a vice minister." The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries also commented, "Although the minister did not have any special schedule, since Acting Minister Kim is a vice minister, the minister did not attend." Even though the head of the Korea Forest Service holds a vice-minister-level position, they did not attend. A Korea Forest Service official explained, "When a vice minister presides, it is the deputy heads, not the head of the agency, who attend."

In the midst of a crisis as precarious as a candle in the wind, the bureaucrats' tendency to prioritize protocol over substance is alarmingly complacent. The Korean economy is currently in a state of emergency. In the first quarter of this year, it recorded a shocking -0.2% growth rate. Amid the tariff war initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, Korea's key industries, including semiconductors, are facing significant challenges.

Yet, there is no president, no prime minister, and no deputy prime minister for economic affairs to steer the country through this crisis. For the next month until the presidential election, the nation must endure an unprecedented "acting-acting-acting" system. The public expects economic officials to work as a team and respond to the crisis seamlessly. Businesses, too, hope that regardless of whether the meeting is chaired by the prime minister, a minister, or a vice minister, officials will engage in intense discussions and cooperate to address economic issues.

After coverage began and the article was published, each ministry conveyed that they had not prioritized protocol and that ministers would attend in the future. The Economic Ministers' Meeting must serve as a body that demonstrates strong leadership, at least in economic matters. If it becomes a powerless organization due to excessive focus on protocol and formality, the ultimate losers will be Korea and its people.

Sejong = Song Seungseop Reporter tmdtjq8506@asiae.co.kr