Lee Jin-sook, the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, expressed her dissatisfaction regarding the rejection of her vacation request by the Presidential Office during a time when the government declared a serious disaster due to heavy rainfall.
On the 27th, she posted on her social media with the title "Vacation Regret," stating, "I have worked in my job for nearly 40 years, but this is the first time my vacation request has been denied, and I feel quite bitter about it."
She further expressed her displeasure, saying, "In the Republic of Korea, the fact that a head of an agency's vacation request becomes news, and that its rejection also becomes news is quite frustrating."
The Chairperson emphasized that vacation requests are a simple administrative procedure, explaining that vacations for cabinet-level officials should be requested at least one week in advance.
She stated, "One cannot apply today and leave tomorrow," and claimed, "If there were natural disasters such as heavy rain on the 23rd or 24th before the vacation, or other emergencies occurred, it would obviously mean that the vacation would not take place. That is common sense."
Previously, on the 18th, when the government issued a serious weather disaster warning, she submitted a vacation request for the week of the 25th to the 31st, which was subsequently rejected.
Presidential Office spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung explained on the 22nd, "Kang Hoon-sik, the head of the Presidential Secretary's Office, deemed that it was inappropriate for the Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission, who serves as the control tower for disaster broadcasting, to take a vacation amidst a serious disaster response, hence the rejection of the request." She added, "It was deemed inappropriate on the 18th when the request was submitted, and it still is because we are in a disaster situation."
In response, the Chairperson stated, "Vacation requests in any agency should be made in advance. Since the vacations of the ministers and vice ministers should not overlap, it is necessary to coordinate the vacation schedules of senior officials in advance to avoid any disruption in work." She emphasized, "To prevent the unfortunate situation where the vacation schedules of all senior officials overlap, prior planning and coordination are essential."
Referencing her past experiences, Lee Jin-sook countered the criticism. She cited her own experience of going to cover the Iraq War in March 2003, leaving behind her four-year-old daughter.
She expressed, "If I went on vacation during a disaster, I would deserve to be criticized. However, pointing out that it is inappropriate to request a vacation during a disaster is another form of framing manipulation." She added, "Only those who have risked their lives for a greater cause should throw stones at me."
Image source: Lee Jin-sook, Chairperson of the Korea Communications Commission / News1
