[Lee Jaemyung's Power Player] Choi Dongseok, New Chief of Personnel Management, Strongly Criticizes Moon Jaein [AK Radio]

"The Main Culprit Behind the Ruin of Korean Politics Is Moon Jae-in," Criticism
"Yang Jeongcheol Is a Thug, Woo Sangho Is a Total Thug," Harsh Remarks
'Naggomsu' Kim Yongmin Says, "I Have Severed Ties with My Maternal Uncle"

On July 20, President Lee Jaemyung appointed Choi Dongseok, head of the Human Resources Organization Research Institute, as the new chief of the Ministry of Personnel Management. Choi is known for his outspoken criticism of bureaucratic personnel systems and has frequently advocated for "code-based appointments" on platforms like YouTube. He has also criticized former President Moon Jae-in and many pro-Moon figures, claiming they "lack competence." Choi sparked controversy over "secondary victimization" after claiming that the sexual harassment case involving former Seoul Mayor Park Wonsoon was a "planned incident." Before appearing at the National Assembly on July 22, he posted on his personal social media account, saying, "I apologize to the victims who were hurt by my past writings." It is not known what kind of personal connection, if any, exists between Choi and President Lee. Choi is the maternal uncle of Pastor Kim Yongmin, a former member of "Naggomsu."

Born in 1955 in Wonju, Gangwon Province, Choi graduated from Chuncheon High School and the business administration department at Sungkyunkwan University. In 1981, he joined the Bank of Korea, and in 1986, he studied abroad in Germany, earning both a master's and a doctorate in business administration from the University of Giessen. His main field of study was organizational behavior and human resources. He returned to the Bank of Korea in the winter of 1993 and worked mainly in HR and organizational roles until 2001. He later served as executive vice president in charge of HR and organization at Kyobo Life Insurance and as a director in charge of management at Kookmin TV. He has authored books such as "Achievement Prediction Model: What Causes HR Failures?" (2021), "Stupid Things Smart People Do" (2014, 2nd edition 2018), and "Rewriting Management Studies" (2013).

Choi's books and writings reveal his perspectives on personnel management. He argues, "To avoid repeated HR failures, we must verify what actions a person has taken in the past, not just their morality or private life. Morality and private matters are internal and difficult to verify." He insists that verification must go through six steps: examining what tasks a person undertook in what situations, what actions they took, what their intentions were, what the results were, and what situations those results led to. Only by looking at these can a person's actions be properly evaluated. He says, "You can't trust someone just because they say, 'I'll do better in the future.'" His fundamental view is that future behavior should be inferred from past actions when making personnel decisions.

Advocates Replacing the Approval System with a Task Responsibility System

Choi also points out the problems of the bureaucratic "approval system." The approval system is a decision-making process in which opinions are submitted from the bottom up, and each level of the hierarchy gives approval before a decision is finalized. Choi criticizes this system, saying, "Subordinates are forced to watch their superiors and find it difficult to make autonomous decisions. As people rise in rank, their responsibility decreases while they enjoy more power and higher pay." He argues for the introduction of a "task responsibility system." "The idea is to select the right person for each issue, regardless of position, assign them to review the task, and make them responsible for the decision. This, he claims, would greatly increase job satisfaction and accountability, and make it clear who did what and when."

Yonhap News Agency

One notable aspect of Choi's background is his strong criticism of former President Moon Jae-in and pro-Moon figures, which can be seen in videos he posted on his YouTube channel. For example, he stated, "Moon Jae-in forgot his identity as a high-ranking public official. He failed to strictly discipline those he appointed (referring to Lee Nakyon and Yoon Sukyeol) for their pettiness, cruelty, incompetence, and even illegal actions. He committed unforgivable mistakes. He just stood by and watched. As a private individual, I still respect Moon Jae-in's character. He seems like someone who should live as a monk in a monastery. However, separate from this personal respect, evaluations of him as a high-ranking public official must be strict, and it is Moon Jae-in who is responsible for the disastrous state of Korean politics."

Criticizes Moon Jae-in as "the one who ruined Korean politics"

"People ignorant of personnel and organization lured Moon Jae-in into politics. Once he entered politics, he should have appointed aides with overwhelming expertise and governed with a do-or-die attitude. Those who brought Moon Jae-in into politics and praised him endlessly should bow their heads in shame at Gwanghwamun intersection."

Choi also harshly criticized Yang Jeongcheol, former head of the Institute for Democracy, saying, "Who would appoint such a thug as a strategist? It's pathetic." He also offered scathing assessments of Noh Youngmin, Im Jongseok, and former lawmaker Jeon Haecheol. Regarding Woo Sangho, senior secretary for political affairs, he said, "He's not just a thug, he's a total thug. Woo Sangho, who is trapped in the old three-Kim era mentality, should be called a betrayer on the level of Park Jihyun. What's going on in that head of his? He hides and watches, then acts in his own favor when the opportunity arises." Choi's harsh criticism of pro-Moon figures is likely to spark controversy.

Downgrades Yang Jeongcheol as "a thug," Woo Sangho as "a total thug"

Meanwhile, Pastor Kim Yongmin, a former "Naggomsu" member, wrote on his social media regarding his uncle Choi Dongseok, "It's been a while since I've cut ties with him. I will never see him again. I do not consider him an HR expert. I hope he does not become a liability for the Lee Jaemyung administration. In my mind, you are erased," emphasizing that there is no need to link him with Choi.

At his inauguration ceremony on July 21, Choi stated, "The greatest goal of personnel administration is to democratize all administrative tasks," and proposed specific measures for "administrative democratization," including job decentralization, ensuring autonomy, and building networks.

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