Cabinet meetings where constitutional and national strategies disappear, leaving only trash bags and citizen complaints. Hanmi Ilbo GraphicsA president's remarks at a cabinet meeting are not mere administrative directives but the highest expression of national will, revealing the direction of state affairs. However, President Lee Jae-myung's remarks at the meeting on the 9th sounded more like a Seongnam mayor's voice than a president's.

President Lee characterized the anti-China rally in Myeongdong as a "mess" and asked if the participants could be punished for "obstruction of business." This statement overlooked both the constitutional value of freedom of expression and judicial independence, dismissing the rally participants as if they were complainants harming market commerce. The president's direct mention of criminal code provisions, implying an investigation order, inevitably raises concerns about the abuse of power by the head of the executive branch.

His anecdotes, such as "I begged and pleaded because they were not doing it diligently" while mentioning environmental and tourism issues, were also unbecoming of the presidential office. While the idea of connecting trash cleanup to job creation projects might work in local administration, national-level action requires long-term strategies such as reforming waste management systems and implementing sustainable tourism policies. However, the president's focus remained on his experience resolving citizen complaints during his tenure as Seongnam mayor.

Here, the remarks of past presidents show a stark contrast. Former President Park Chung-hee stated at a meeting, "The trash problem is not just about cleaning; it's an issue of national image." Even when addressing similar everyday topics, he interpreted them by connecting them to the nation's status and international perception. This was the language of a leader who elevated everyday issues to the level of national operating principles and international strategy.

Structural reform visions were also absent in the discussion of labor safety issues. The president merely ordered severe punishment, saying, "Just punish them" for repeated industrial accidents. While strengthening corporate responsibility is important, without macro-strategies like industrial restructuring and innovation in oversight systems, it remains a slogan emphasizing enforcement and punishment alone. What should come from the president's lips is a paradigm shift in national safety management, not the reinforcement of criminal penalties.

In contrast, former President Kim Dae-jung stated during the foreign exchange crisis, "I am well aware of the public's suffering. However, we must turn this crisis into an opportunity and move towards an information society and a knowledge-based economy." While starting from empathy that acknowledged the reality of the difficulties, it immediately led to the presentation of a national vision. A leader's language should expand beyond everyday expressions to encompass constitutional principles and national strategy.

Even his remarks on an AI agricultural product platform were confined to analogies for small business owners, such as "Tomorrow, a few guests will come and I'll make bibimbap...". With a forum intended for discussing national digital transformation strategies reduced to everyday examples, the cabinet meeting resembled little more than a market briefing session.

A president's language can foster a sense of familiarity with the public. However, a cabinet meeting is not a venue for resolving market complaints; it is the supreme policy meeting for presenting national strategies. Remarks that seem to suppress freedom of expression increase concerns about the bias and abuse of power, while everyday directives reveal a lack of national vision.

If one is the president, not the Seongnam mayor, remarks should contain constitutional principles, international perspectives, and national strategies, rather than slogans or admonitions. If the cabinet meeting is reduced to an extension of everyday administration, the depth and weight of state governance will ultimately be lost.

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