[Namsan Stroll] Sangma: The Art of Discernment Beyond Chulma and Hama

This year marks the Year of the Red Horse, Byeongo Year, which returns once every 60 years. In June, local elections are scheduled, and few arenas are as closely tied to horses as the political stage. There is "Chulma" (出馬), which embodies the determination of a general heading to the battlefield, and the tragedy of "Nakma" (落馬), being forced to step down. Interestingly, there is also "Hama" (下馬). While both involve dismounting from a horse, Nakma is bad news, whereas Hama-pyeong (下馬評) is considered good news.

What voters desperately need is not Chulma or Hama, but "Sangma" (相馬)-the discernment to recognize a true horse. During the Spring and Autumn period, Bo Le, the greatest horse appraiser, was a master not because he recognized already famous horses, but because he could discover a Cheollima (a legendary thousand-mile horse) among the unremarkable horses pulling salt carts. In stock market terms, he had the insight to find blue-chip stocks hidden among penny stocks.

The Tang Dynasty writer Han Yu lamented the lack of talent, saying, "There are always Cheollima, but Bo Le is rare to find." The same holds true today. While people bemoan the lack of leaders in South Korea, the real problem may be the lack of discernment. The power that truly makes "Seonryang" (選良, elected officials) virtuous comes not from their character, but from the sharp judgment of voters. Let's borrow the wisdom of horses from the classics to set our standards.

First, as seen in the "radical approach of Gubanggo (九方皐)," we must remove the colored lenses of framing. Gubanggo, who set out to find a Cheollima on Bo Le's recommendation, reported to the king, "I have found a yellow mare." However, what he brought was a black stallion. When the king rebuked him for not distinguishing gender or color, Bo Le instead praised him: "He looked past the shell and saw the vitality within." Indeed, it was the finest horse in the land. The lesson from Gubanggo is clear: Only by breaking free from concrete support based on frames and regionalism can we see the real thing.

Second, we must beware of making the mistake of selecting a "toad" by being trapped by superficial credentials, like Bo Le's overly rigid son. Bo Le's son memorized his father's secret manual, "Sangmagyeong," by heart. The book stated that a great horse should have a protruding forehead and large eyes, so he brought back a toad that fit these conditions and insisted it was a Cheollima. His obsession with conditions led to this farce. This directly criticizes the modern obsession with credentials. What matters more than credentials is substance. We cannot afford to bring in "high-spec toads" that only drain the national treasury.

Third, filtering out is more important than selecting. According to the "Seollim" chapter of Han Feizi, Bo Le taught the method of choosing Cheollima to those he disliked, but taught the method of identifying dull horses (Noma, 駑馬) to those he liked. This was because Cheollima are rare, while dull horses are plentiful in the market and thus more profitable. The same logic applies to elections. If the best or the greatest is not available, we must at least exclude the worst. Turning away from politics out of disgust is like riding in a car without fastening your seatbelt in a democracy. The most practical Sangma skill is to weed out bad horses to prevent the cart from overturning.

Fourth, we must read "attitude toward people" from the story of Dongyapil (東野畢). Dongyapil of the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period was the best charioteer of his time, but he ignored the horse's stamina and relied solely on technique, eventually driving his horse to collapse. Squeezing subordinates for results and treating them as mere tools is a crucial litmus test for judgment.

Finally, the determination of "Cheongeummaegol" (千金買骨, buying bones for a thousand gold coins) is necessary. Just as buying the bones of a dead horse for 500 gold coins attracted living Cheollima, elections are a powerful signal sent by voters. The quality of talent depends on what kind of signal is sent.

The ballot is the reins held by the voter. The power to weed out bad horses and make good horses run in the right direction lies within it. In this Byeongo Year, where declarations of candidacy and rumors abound, will you be swept away by the noisy sound of hooves, or will you firmly hold the reins and open your discerning eyes as a true Sangma?

Kim Seonghoe, Director of CEO Leadership Institute