{"id":2206407,"date":"2024-09-06T17:03:39","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T08:03:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2206407"},"modified":"2024-09-09T18:55:32","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T09:55:32","slug":"kim-moon-soo-from-activist-to-conservative-politician-his-own-worst-enemy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/09\/kim-moon-soo-from-activist-to-conservative-politician-his-own-worst-enemy\/","title":{"rendered":"Kim Moon-soo: From activist to conservative politician, his own worst enemy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kim Moon-soo, President Yoon Suk-yeol\u2019s newly appointed labor minister, faces significant challenges in shaping South Korea\u2019s national labor policy due to his history of controversial remarks, shifting allegiances, and a reputation for inconsistency that risks undermining his credibility and effectiveness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim\u2019s political journey has been marked by dramatic ideological shifts and numerous self-inflicted controversies. He began his career as a prominent labor activist but, over time, aligned with the country\u2019s conservatives, often at the cost of his credibility.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim has also advocated for what he describes as \u201cmarginalized workers\u201d \u2014 those employed by small businesses and typically non-unionized. However, he has also opposed expanding union rights, arguing that it would primarily benefit well-established unions instead of the workers themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim\u2019s approach \u2014 distinguishing workers from unions \u2014 will likely put him at odds with South Korea\u2019s business community and labor organizations throughout his tenure as labor minister.<\/span><\/p>\n

FROM ACTIVIST TO ESTABLISHMENT\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Kim\u2019s political career has been characterized by dramatic ideological shifts and self-inflicted controversies, earning him a reputation as one of the most notorious political chameleons in South Korean politics since the country democratized.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting as a prominent student and labor rights activist in the 1970s, Kim quickly moved up the ranks in the Seoul Labor Movement Union. Later, he served as the now-defunct People Party\u2019s labor committee chairman.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, with the collapse of the communist bloc in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Kim\u2019s ideological stance shifted drastically, even declaring that the \u201cera of revolution is over.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim began his shift toward conservatism in 1994 when he joined the Democratic Liberal Party, one of the earlier predecessors of today\u2019s People Power Party. Starting in 1996, he served three terms in the National Assembly, receiving <\/span>awards and recognition<\/span><\/a> during his tenure.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim served for eight years as the governor of Gyeonggi Province from 2006, during which time he enjoyed high approval rates. However, toward the end of his governorship, he began to move closer to positions typically associated with the country\u2019s far-right movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, whereas he was initially a frequent critic of former conservative presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye, he later shaved his head to protest Park\u2019s impeachment \u2014 after he initially supported it. In the coming years, he attended protests organized by far-right movements and allegedly called for former President Moon Jae-in\u2019s <\/span>execution<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kim Moon-soo, then-governor of Gyeonggi, in Pocheon | Image: Gyeonggi Province Office (April 2009)<\/p><\/div>\n

STORM CHASER<\/b><\/p>\n

Kim\u2019s most controversial moment came when he sought a <\/span>photo-op<\/span><\/a> with former South Korean dictator Chun Doo-hwan <\/span>ahead<\/span><\/a> of the 2016 general elections, seemingly betraying his activist roots.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chun was responsible for the torture and imprisonment of Kim and his former peers during the latter\u2019s activist days. This action alienated Kim from progressive and centrist politicians and a broad segment of voters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim\u2019s controversies continued as he faced fines for violating COVID-19 social distancing measures and yelling at police officers when confronted. As a result, his appointment as chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Council in 2022 and subsequent nomination as labor minister faced significant opposition.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is little to suggest that the controversies surrounding him will die down anytime soon. During his confirmation hearing, Kim expressed revisionist historical views, arguing that Koreans were Japanese citizens while Japan occupied the country in the first half of the 20th century.<\/span><\/p>\n

This statement led to such intense backlash that Prime Minister Han Duck-soo felt the need to clarify that the government does not share Kim\u2019s position on the matter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite the backlash, Kim doubled down on his statements in <\/span>media<\/span><\/a> interviews even after being appointed labor minister, demonstrating his obstinacy and willingness to make enemies across the political spectrum.<\/span><\/p>\n

LABOR CHAMPION?<\/b><\/p>\n

Kim\u2019s stance on labor rights aligns with the Yoon Suk-yeol administration\u2019s direction, but his background as a former labor activist has helped to shape a philosophy that is distinct from mainstream conservatives.<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, like many conservatives, Kim opposes the yellow envelope law \u2014 an amendment proposal to the Trade Union Act that Yoon vetoed in August. Mainstream conservatives argue that the law, if passed, would cripple businesses as it would limit corporations\u2019 ability to file suits against striking workers by setting caps on damages and prohibiting lawsuits against individual workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

They also argue that the law would compel South Korean businesses to seek more business-friendly markets overseas. While Kim has also repeated this position, he additionally bases his opposition to the law on the need to protect marginalized workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a recent interview, Kim framed unionized workers as \u201cthe nobility\u201d while decrying that the \u201cmajority\u201d of workers \u2014 particularly marginalized workers employed by restaurants, convenience stores and other small businesses \u2014\u00a0 cannot form unions.<\/span><\/p>\n

In place of the yellow envelope law, Kim advocates applying the Labor Standards Act to include small businesses that employ fewer than five workers.<\/span><\/p>\n

As his first directive as labor minister, Kim ordered the settlement of unpaid wages and issued orders to prosecute employers who continue to violate the law. He also instructed aldermen to prioritize monitoring delinquent employers to settle these debts before the upcoming Chuseok holiday \u2014 South Korea\u2019s mid-autumn harvest festival.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unsurprisingly, labor unions have criticized Kim, accusing him of dividing workers. Moreover, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions questioned his sincerity in protecting marginalized workers, citing Yoon\u2019s decision to veto amendments that would have expanded the rights of freelance and gig workers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Conversely, larger businesses will likely welcome Kim\u2019s appointment. In 2019, he criticized the judiciary for convicting Samsung executives involved in efforts to undermine a labor union, stating that the court ruling was unlike any labor ruling seen anywhere else in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kim Moon-soo as Gyeonggi Governor in 2011 | Image: Gyeonggi Province Office (Nov. 2011)<\/p><\/div>\n

UPHILL BATTLE AHEAD\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

As labor minister, Kim faces significant challenges. While he may enjoy some support for focusing on marginalized workers instead of established business or union interests, his tendency to speak out on sensitive topics beyond the scope of labor policy risks distracting from his core responsibilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, Kim\u2019s history of frequently changing his political positions has cemented his image as an untrustworthy figure, making it difficult for him to build the necessary alliances to carry out his duties effectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kim will also likely face significant pushback from progressive lawmakers in the National Assembly, who view his transformation from a labor activist to a conservative politician as an act of betrayal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, Kim was appointed as labor minister despite the lack of parliamentary approval, making him the 27th minister-level official in the Yoon administration to have been appointed in that way.<\/span><\/p>\n

To be effective as labor minister, Kim will need to focus on fulfilling his pledges to address the plight of non-unionized workers while working to rebuild trust with various lawmakers and union representatives with whom he may have once burned bridges.<\/span><\/p>\n

He will also have to refrain from making the types of controversial statements that have defined much of his political career. Failure to do so will likely result in a tenure marked more by political infighting than by substantive policy achievements.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Kim delivers a remark at a meeting between the Economic, Social and Labor Council and Yoon | Image: Presidential Office (Feb. 2024)<\/p><\/div>\n

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BIO: KIM MOON-SOO (\uae40\ubb38\uc218, \u91d1\u6587\u6d19)<\/b><\/p>\n

Age:<\/b> 73, born in 1951 in Yeongcheon-gun, North Gyeongsang Province\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Family:<\/b> Married with one daughter\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Education:<\/b> B.A. in business administration, Seoul National University<\/span><\/p>\n

Career:<\/b><\/p>\n