[Press Release] Publication of "The Roh Moo-hyun Administration's Dilemmas and Choices"

Only four months have passed since the launch of the Participatory Government. Yet, some cynically assess that the Roh Moo-hyun administration has already crossed the threshold of 'lame duck' status. Will the Participatory Government repeat the trajectory of past failed administrations? This analysis predicts the nature of the dilemmas facing the Roh Moo-hyun administration and the possibility of a turning point, based on vivid public opinion survey results.

"The Roh Moo-hyun Administration's Dilemmas and Choices" can be considered a follow-up to "Conditions for a Successful Presidency I, II," published last year as part of the East Asia Institute (EAI)'s policy project for 'creating a successful presidency.' While the previous two books focused on evaluating the causes of failure in past administrations by synthesizing the experiences of former high-ranking government officials and policy research by expert groups, this book appears to primarily aim at objectively presenting the current state of public political consciousness across Korean society and its various sectors at a time just before the launch of a new government. Unlike opinion polls focused on major current issues, it is a comprehensive data collection that presents the results of analyzing a survey with 75 questions covering the direction of state administration expected by the public from the Participatory Government, and various political, economic, and social sectors. Notably, the separate survey of 339 opinion leaders with 22 common questions set for major issues highlights the data value contained within this book.

At a time when the overall state administration appears to be adrift merely four months after the launch of the Participatory Government, readers should pay closer attention to the dilemmas of the Roh Moo-hyun administration predicted by mid-career scholars such as Kang Won-taek, Kim Min-jeon, Lee Geun, Lee Nae-young, and Lee Sook-jong, and the policy alternatives they propose for its resolution. The authors clearly identify 'reform' as the ultimate destination of public expectations for the Roh Moo-hyun administration, while noting the fragmentation of public opinion across different sectors and issues. For example, public opinion is clearly polarized in foreign and security policy areas such as inter-Korean policy and ROK-US relations, whereas there is a general consensus in political and economic reform areas. They specifically point out a significant gap between the opinions of opinion leaders and the general public in foreign and security policy. This fragmented public opinion and the rift between the opinions of opinion leaders and the general public are presented as the dilemmas the Participatory Government will face. The solutions proposed by the authors for these dilemmas are principled yet practical. The core recommendation is to boldly pursue reforms in areas where there is public consensus, while exercising prudent policy choices and political acumen to secure public agreement and persuade the public in areas with clear opinion polarization.

At a time when various interest-based politics pursued under the banner of reform and national integration are entangled with resistance to reform, creating a complex web, it is necessary to pause and carefully re-examine the public's expectations and concerns for the new government, and the trends in public opinion regarding various policies. This would be a meaningful exercise not only for policymakers and related experts but also for the general public interested in and hopeful about Korean politics. If the threads of resolution derived from this process can be used to establish directions and principles for administrative reform, the project of 'creating a successful presidency' may not yet be over. Is it not too early to speak of failure?

- The full press release is in the attached file.