The address, pledging to shape a new mythology of the Korean Peninsula based on pride in the successful 60-year history of the Republic, was impressive. I felt hope that we will after all be able to emerge as an advanced country. There Lee spoke of "our solemn start towards a society that cherishes the fruit of democratization and industrialization, with each of its members doing their part voluntarily in collaboration for the general welfare and toward a country that abounds in wealth, caring and dignity." To that end, he said, we need public determination to change, an efficient government, an era of friendly labor relations, positive and preventive welfare, education reform and greater education opportunities, university autonomy, global diplomacy and a new horizon in inter-Korean relations.

But enthusiasm has waned over the last two weeks. The biggest cause is the confusion in the selection of Cabinet members, most of whom have ties with Lee and his home turf. Everyone I meet is worried. Academics and religious leaders who can be seen as representative of healthy conservatism demanded to know how they could pick people entangled in so many problems. Some are already afraid that the Right could lose power in the next presidential election if it carries on in the same vein.

The government says it only picked the people best able to turn the economy around. But the advanced country we look forward to becoming cannot simply rehash the economic development policies of president Park Chung-hee. The people now want quality, not just quantity.

Lee’s so-called 747 election pledges -- 7 percent economic growth, a per capita income of US$40,000, and becoming the world's seventh largest economy -- contains necessary conditions, but they are not enough. An advanced country must temper wealth with caring and dignity. There are many leading conservatives in their 50s and 60s who have lived lives of integrity: it is eyewash to say the talent pool is so small because most gifted people were co-opted by the last two administrations.

It is an illusion to think that the new administration, which came to power for unprincipled pragmatism and jungle capitalism, can achieve a truly advanced society, a senior leftwing intellectual warned. I first dismissed that as the malice of an ageing idealist who is unwilling to face reality, but the incident made me think again.

Most people who voted for Lee, to be sure, would say there was no alternative. The least they can do is closely monitor and encourage the Lee administration. We cannot take it for granted that the president and his Cabinet will lead in achieving an advanced country. The people themselves must take the lead. In his inaugural address, Lee said, "The government cannot do this by itself. The true owners of this nation, the people, must act together." Those who supported Lee may need to make a firm resolution to stay in the driving seat.

Fortunately, this administration is more sensitive to public opinion than the previous one -- and that makes the role of opinion leaders more important. Yet a stony path lies still ahead for those who would turn Korea into the first advanced nation among those who became independent since World War II.

The column was contributed by Chosun Ilbo in-house columnist Lee Seon-min.