President Lee, to New Public Officials: "The Lives of 52 Million Depend on Your Hands"

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung visited the Jincheon headquarters of the National Human Resources Development Institute on the 14th and conducted a special lecture for about 350 people, including 305 trainees of the 70th 5th-grade new manager course. The lecture, under the theme 'The Era of National Sovereignty, The Path of Public Officials - Created with the People,' continued for about 40 minutes, during which the President delivered a candid message about the duties and attitudes of public officials.
President Lee opened his speech on the podium with "Congratulations sincerely."
President Lee emphasized, "Public office is not an individual's work but the work of the entire nation. One decision by you can change someone's life," and "Public officials are agents exercising the authority delegated by the people. Ultimately, this country depends on your hands."
Additionally, President Lee stated, "Where you stand, responsibility, not honor, follows, and that responsibility is directly connected to the lives of 52 million people," and "One hour of a public official should be one hour of the people."
As conditions for public officials, he suggested directionality, sincerity, and technical competence. President Lee explained, "No matter how competent, if the direction is wrong, it is harmful. The direction of affection for the people and loyalty to the country is most important."
Regarding sincerity, President Lee said, "It's okay not to be outstanding. Consistently doing your best is the path of a better public official," and regarding skills, he conveyed, "It is a basic competency that must be honed endlessly."
President Lee mentioned the importance of peer evaluation in public personnel matters, saying, "The colleagues who worked together know best," and "In fact, applying the peer recommendation method resulted in almost no dissatisfaction with personnel."
Regarding the issue of integrity, he issued a strong warning. President Lee advised, "Money is the devil. It approaches like a friend, senior, or acquaintance at first but eventually devours your entire life," and "Avoiding contact with operators altogether is the only solution."
He continued, "I have seen countless cases where a moment's negligence ruined a public career," and "Leave no room for any leeway."
President Lee added, "The pen you hold is a fan. The speed of handling one civil complaint can determine one person's livelihood, the life and death of a hundred, and the hope of a thousand," and "Public office is not a comfortable or glorious position but a heavy one to willingly bear."


west@fnnews.com Sung Seok-woo Reporter