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The previous and new government are blaming each other for a transition gone awry. Presidential secretaries complain they have a difficult job because aides to former President Roh Moo-hyun left no records or information of work done at Cheong Wa Dae. But the ex-president's team tell another story: They were willing to cooperate and hand over information on their work but the new government rejected them. Some observers in turn say the system is at fault.
When the new government started work, chief secretaries of President Lee Myung-bak were shocked to find that there were no useful references other than trivial manuals and policy reports in Cheong Wa Dae's work management system e-Jiwon (digital knowledge park). Most documents and files had been deleted and some parts of the hard disk were damaged.
They even suffered a system error last week. A key presidential secretary said the former government had promised to cooperate in transition through e-Jiwon, but the computer was empty. It was especially difficult to sift through ministerial candidates, as personnel files of high-profile figures had not been stored at the office of the presidential secretary for civil affairs. The files were known to contain basic information on 25,000 candidates for senior government positions, checks by the prosecution, police and the National Intelligence Service, and personnel evaluations. They were said to be more accurate than information collected by the Civil Service Commission
Another presidential secretary grumbled, "How could the former government remove or take all work-related records? We have to start all over setting up a work system and drawing up documents. It’s very embarrassing."
Documents drawn up under Roh were moved to the Presidential Repository in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, before Feb. 25, when the new president was sworn in. The transfer of more than 4 million documents happened in accordance with a law on the management of presidential records. Documents on national security, important economic policies, personnel files on high-profile figures, personal information and communications between the president and aides will remain confidential for 15-30 years. Approval by two-thirds of lawmakers or a high court warrant is needed to view the documents.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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