Sarkozy, elected on a promise of change and reform in France, has worked with amazing determination and passion, like "a man of various records," as described by the French press. In the past year he has made 88 official tours, 38 of them overseas. He has traveled 298,000 km aboard his presidential plane, a distance of seven times around the globe. At home he has met foreign heads of state 50 times. Turning out all sorts of reform policies, he has established 19 special committees and published their reports.

Despite such uproarious leadership, Sarkozy in a year has become France's most unloved president in half a century. When he was sworn in last year he was the most popular head of state since the 5th Republic's first president Charles de Gaulle. But his approval ratings have nosedived from 67 percent to the 30 percent range. His support ratings plummeted the fastest among successive French presidents.

The causes are largely two: his ostentatious private life and public disappointment in a stagnant economy. His nickname has changed from "Super Sarko" to "the Bling-Bling President." His support began to nosedive as the public knit its brow over his flamboyant romance with his girlfriend, a former supermodel, in the wake of his recent divorce, and after actions and remarks seen as unfitting a head of state, while sporting sunglasses and a Rolex watch.

Had his economic performance been better, the public would have put up with such flaws. Public sentiment turned its back on him when he failed to keep his vows to "save France and let the citizens live more comfortably." While the fruits of a stream of reforms, churned out like so many mushrooms springing up after rain, are still far off, the public livelihood has worsened due to the deteriorating world economy fueled by spiraling petroleum, bread and milk prices.

The greater the expectations, the bigger the disappointment. The public's illusions about Sarkozy's heroic leadership abilities have broken. He merely cried out "reforms, reforms", it is criticized, but failed to tell where the reforms are headed, what the visions and timetables are.

The man who bragged he would change France overnight is now adjusting the style and speed of his rash and arrogant leadership. "I haven't given the citizens a full explanation," he acknowledged in a live TV program, "I've made a mistake." Restraining himself from self-admiring praises for his own achievements over the past year, he is re-orienting himself with the humility of a planned reevaluation five years on.

Upon his inauguration, Newsweek called President Lee Myung-bak "the Sarkozy of Korea." They are alike in proclaiming a pragmatic leadership, pushing ahead with reforms aimed at economic recovery, and shifting anti-Americanism into pro-Americanism, the magazine noted. Regrettably, however, the two also resemble each other in seeing their approval ratings plummet.

Lee has disappointed the public with the grouping of the "Ko-So-Young" (which stands for his alma mater Korea University, his church Somang Presbyterian Church, and his home region of Youngnam or Gyeongsang Province) appointments, his bling-bling associates dubbed the "Kang-Bu-Ja" (the rich living in the prosperous Seoul district south of the Han River who made fortunes through land speculation), and immature state administration. As exposed in the latest uproar over mad cow disease and the frightening mad cow stories, Lee has failed to display a convincing capacity to lead, guiding the country to the future and carefully placating public fears.

Observing the crestfallen "Sarkozy of France," I think it necessary for the "Sarkozy of Korea" also to look back on and reform his punctured leadership.

This column was contributed by Kang Kyung-hee, the Chosun Ilbo's correspondent in Paris.