Yeo Han-koo, former chief trade negotiator at South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy [Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy]
Yeo Han-koo, former chief trade negotiator at South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy [Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy]

The People Power Party on Saturday condemned the abrupt dismissal of Yeo Han-koo, former chief trade negotiator at South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, asking "where else would you find such irrational governance?"

PPP spokesperson Jo Yong-sul said in a statement that day, "Is it acceptable to leave vacant such a critical post — one responsible for negotiating with foreign countries over national interests — without even stating a specific reason?"

Jo added that "the Lee Jae Myung administration pledged $350 billion in investment toward the United States last year without any national consensus, and is now facing pressure from Washington to accelerate its delivery," yet "the very person who had been steering those negotiations was cut without any explanation."

Jo also took aim at the administration's silence on the grounds for the dismissal. "What secret is it trying to hide?" he said, calling on the Lee Jae Myung administration to "clearly explain to the public why it replaced the trade chief in the middle of US trade negotiations, with no alternative in place."

Reform Party leader Lee Jun-seok also weighed in via Facebook, noting that reports of pressure from the Donald Trump administration over US investment commitments had been emerging when the government dismissed Yeo. "Regardless of the reason for the dismissal, it is a move the US side cannot help but misread," he said.

Lee called on the government to "immediately appoint a successor as chief trade negotiator to ensure there is no gap in US negotiations," warning that "if cracks appear in diplomacy with the United States, the blow to the Korean economy will be greater than the stock market turmoil we experienced a few weeks ago."

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, President Lee Jae Myung dismissed Yeo effective midnight Saturday. A forced dismissal — which unilaterally strips a civil servant of their status — is an unusual measure for a political appointee.

The Donald Trump administration is currently pressing South Korea to announce its US investment projects promptly, raising the stakes in ongoing trade negotiations. With sensitive trade issues piling up, concerns are growing that leaving the top trade post vacant could weaken Seoul's ability to respond at the negotiating table.

The ministry said it would be "inappropriate at the departmental level to comment on the background" of the personnel decision, calling it a matter within the appointing authority's discretion and political judgment. It added that it was "doing everything possible to ensure trade affairs proceed without disruption" in line with the personnel action.


lucky@heraldcorp.com