In government circles lately, Minister Kim Jung-kwan of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources' "love for Admiral Yi Sun-sin" is drawing attention. That is because when the Minister states his resolve to push policies at official events, he often cites anecdotes about Admiral Yi. Many civil servants say it is positive to mention a national hero everyone knows, at the right time and place, rather than quoting a foreign celebrity.
On the 5th, as Minister Kim departed for Canada to support Korea's bid for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), he told reporters, "Twelve is a symbolic number for us." He added, "Before the Battle of Myeongnyang, Admiral Yi Sun-sin said, 'I have 12 ships,' and we will strive to reach that number." The government's target for the patrol submarine order is 12. He linked it to a famous anecdote about Admiral Yi.
This is not the first time Minister Kim has quoted Admiral Yi Sun-sin. On Dec. 17 last year, of the 24 presentation (PPT) slides prepared for a presidential briefing, he filled two with sayings known to have been spoken by Admiral Yi before setting out for the Battle of Myeongnyang. One slide read, "If one person guards a strategic point well, a thousand will be made to fear," and another read, "Fear comes from the mind, and courage comes from action."
The message was that in today's economic conditions, each and every public official can be a pillar of the nation. In response, President Lee Jae-myung said, "It seems to be the result of his usual way of thinking, and it's impressive."
At a restructuring roundtable for the petrochemical industry on Dec. 22 last year, Minister Kim also said, "Yeosu was the site of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's Left Naval Command of Jeolla," adding, "Just as they held out to the end with these 12 ships, I hope the corporations gathered here and the government will become one team and go the distance." By coincidence, 12 corporations attended the roundtable.
Minister Kim is said to emphasize the virtues of public officials to Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) staff by citing a passage from the historical novel "The Song of the Sword," which portrays Admiral Yi Sun-sin as a first-person narrator. The passage says, "Even when I had my fleet anchored in port, if the enemy fleet moved, my sleeping fleet in effect moved as well." The point is that public officials, too, must devote themselves to national affairs day and night.
A civil servant at the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) said, "I understand that the Minister holds a sense of mission that public officials should serve like Admiral Yi Sun-sin," adding, "It seems commendable to frequently quote a national hero familiar to the public rather than foreign celebrities the public may not know well." However, some say the style of stressing public officials' attitude, dignity, and view of the state feels burdensome.